


Proper Places

by Oilux



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, F/M, Historical, Mabill, victorian au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-06-10 03:36:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 35,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6938152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oilux/pseuds/Oilux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Victorian AU. Mabel Pines wasn't interested in much gossip. Though some gossip managed to capture her interest. Especially that of a Bill Cipher, who had apparently had a fall from grace. Mabel brushed it off as idle gossip, but something in her told it was true. Yet soon the idle gossip would soon be revealed as either the truth or nothing more.</p>
<p>"You don't exactly get a choice in life anymore, I'm the highest bidder. I win. I always win."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tea with the girls

**Author's Note:**

> I have no self control! Welcome to my newest major project. I love Victorian AU's.

Tea time was a special occasion that Mabel had come to love as she grew up. When she was younger, the time spent sitting still, back as straight as a board as she listened to other women prattle on about idle gossip had bored her, but now as a young woman the time spent drinking tea was just about the only time she could be sociable. It was always easier to invite her friends over for a cup of tea, even if she didn't care about the gossip that spilled from their lips. Mabel had more important things to worry about than who was dating who and who lost their fortune lately. 

On a pleasant Saturday afternoon, Mabel had invited her friends over for tea and pastries, even if no one would eat the pastries, and now spent her time giggling about men who were trying to court them and listening to Pacifica prattle on about the new dress she got. Mabel took another sip of her tea, which was starting to get a bit cold, listening as Grenda decided it was finally time for her to start speaking. 

“Marius just set a date for the wedding. You're all invited!” Women were expected to be quiet, but Grenda had always been loud. Mabel placed her tea on the small table in front of them, clapping her hands together excitedly as Candy could hardly contain her excitement. Even Pacifica was happy, just not as excited as the other three were known to get. 

“That's wonderful, Grenda!” Mabel couldn't keep the smile off her face. “You two have been courting since we were children. Did he finally pick a destination?”

Marius was like Pacifica, old money. The Pines family had only recently acquired their wealth, and would have been outside of the social status if it had not been for Mabel's friends. Once it had been known that the Northwest’s daughter favored Mabel, everyone else had wanted to curry their favor, even if they were new money. 

“Germany, for the honeymoon.” Candy instantly said, and Mabel felt a prick of jealousy that she hadn't been the first to know. Pacifica didn't seem to mind, so neither would Mabel. 

“Congratulations, Grenda. We all knew it was a matter of time.” Pacifica’s words held a note of finality to them, and just like that, the conversation on Grenda's wedding was put to a halt. Mabel eyed the cakes and pastries on the table, wishing she could have one, but not having one until someone else did. 

“Candy, Mabel, have any of the men courting you captured your interest?” Pacifica asked, taking a sip of her tea casually. Candy flushed darkly and stared down at her lap, leaving Mabel to take up the lapse in conversation. 

“No, not very much. Not enough to consider for marriage.” Mabel spoke easily enough. When she had been younger she had always dreamed about who she would marry and finding her ‘Prince Charming’ just as the stories talked about, but growing up had forced her to face the truth. She wouldn't get much of a say in who she would marry, since the men would let her uncles know of his intent to court, and no doubt she would marry the one who was the richest out of all of them. Though she knew her uncles would never set her up with someone who was cruel. 

“That's unfortunate. Your season is about to end, you might want to make a decision quickly.” Pacifica stated, her voice almost flat. Mabel almost winced, but kept herself as collected as her friend was. Candy and Grenda had long since stopped looking at them, not wanting to witness whatever might come from this. 

“It's not my decision to make, as you know.” Mabel didn't want to fight with her friend. “I'm sure someone will come along that my uncles will approve of.”

Pacifica nodded, and almost everyone breathed a sigh of relief that an argument had not broken out. Mabel busied herself with fixing the folds of her long skirt, enjoying the lapse in conversation while it lasted. Of course it didn't last long. 

“Well, did any of you hear about Cipher?” The name instantly made everyone switch their attentions to Candy, who had brought up the fact. Mabel even leaned forward a little, wanting to hear about the notorious rich man. 

“Oh, did something happen?” Candy’s cheeks had calmed down into a light blush, which the other women ignored at this point. Candy had always been shy about who she was courting, and they had learned that if they pressed she wouldn't share at all. 

“Well.” Pacifica always loved being the center of their attention, and it all diverted to her since Pacifica seemed ready to start the story. “I was talking to some of the other women in town, and apparently Cipher got himself into quite a bind with money.”

None of the girls bothered to hide their surprised gasps. Cipher was absolutely notorious for being cruel and the almost inhumane with the deals he made, to hear he was strapped for money came as a shock. Pacifica didn't bother to hide her satisfied smile, since Cipher had been the reason why her family had almost been driven to the poor house when she was younger. 

“How did it happen?” Mabel spoke up, causing a couple pairs of eyes to flicker to her. She fiddled with the folds of her dress again. 

“Apparently he underestimated someone who came to him for a deal. No one is sure who it was though.” Pacifica almost sounded disappointed at the end of her statement. It left the girls wondering who this mysterious person was, and if they even existed in the first place. Gossip was still gossip, but sometimes a small bit of truth would be lodged in there as well. 

The girls didn't get to talk more, as Mabel's twin brother, Dipper, finally came home. The Pines didn't just have their last name after a tree, they made their fortune by starting up a logging company that supplied wood for the masses and other factories that needed it. Often Dipper came home from long hours smelling like nature and sawdust, and while it was unfitting of his title, it showed he was a hard worker and got them more investments than they needed. 

“Is it that time of the week already?” Dipper asked with a small smile when he saw the girls all there. Mabel smiled with a small nod of her head, not sure what she could say. Normally when her brother came home her friends took their leave. 

“We were just talking about what happened with Cipher.” Pacifica said instead, obviously not going to move. She had been staying longer than normal lately, but Mabel thought nothing of it, enjoying the time with her friend. 

Dipper’s reaction was a little surprising, though not unexpected for a man. Typically he let them gossip about idle things of no matter, but now he heard the news and actually laughed, walking further into the room. 

“Idle gossip, I'm not surprised. You know it's not true.” He actually looked surprised when the girls deflated a little. “Come now, you couldn't really believe that some mystery person managed to take down Cipher and not brag about it? Cipher probably made the rumor so others would get confident and let their guard down around him.”

The girls nodded, and Candy and Grenda rose, tired of talking as they were. Mabel rose to say her goodbyes, giving each girl a brief hug before turning her attention to her last guest. 

“It could be true, the rumor.” Mabel ended up saying, though it was strange to comfort Pacifica on the ruin of another person. Even if he was cruel. “Maybe not the money part, but someone could have gotten control over him. Even for a second.”

Pacifica brightened a little, and Mabel could see the way Dipper had to bite his tongue to stop himself from contradicting his family. Mabel gave her brother a smile, which he returned after a moment. 

“I'll take my leave now as well. Thank you for hosting tea, Mabel. It was wonderful as always.” Pacifica stood in a rush of fabric as her dress rustled around her. 

“Of course. I'll send out an invite next week for another little meet up of ours.” Mabel stood as well, just barely brushing against her brother. She took the chance to elbow him in the gut and remind him of his manners. Dipper gave a hasty now as he escorted Pacifica out of their home and to her carriage. 

“You girls gossip too much.” Dipper said as Mabel cleaned up tea, even though the maid was just in the other room. She hated bothering people with little problems that Mabel herself could do. “It'll bring you no good in life to sit around and gossip all day.”

“Have you turned in your notice of courtship to Pacifica’s father yet?” Mabel asked instead, watching her brothers face turn a dark shade of red as he struggled for words. 

“We're not talking about me.” He eventually managed out, calling for their maid to help clean up. “And I haven't, not like it's any of your business.”

“She's been waiting for you to tell her father. By all accounts she should be married now! Don't waste time just because you're nervous.” She scolded. Dipper scowled, not at her but at the floor since he knew the words were true. 

“Did you accept the Gleeful’s proposal yet?” He snapped back, making Mabel lean back in shock and almost drop her favorite teacup. It was a low blow and they both knew it. She had never been attracted to Gideon, but that didn't stop him from coming over and trying to lavish her in gifts in an attempt to woo her love. At the very least her uncles had ignored his offer at Mabel's request. 

“Excuse me.” Mabel muttered, handing the dishes off to the maid as Dipper sighed. She couldn't very well show how much his words had upset her, but he knew how upset she was just from her tone of voice. 

“Mabel, don’t, I didn’t mean…” He let the words die down, and she didn’t give him a parting glance. There was a moment of silence as only her shoes clicked on the ground before she was heading upstairs and away from her brother. 

They had always been able to make an argument from nothing, and it had grown as they were older. Mabel remembered being younger and feeling out of place as their great uncle Stanford so easily took Dipper under his care. She had done her best to get over it, ignoring the way she felt twinges of jealousy, especially since she had Stan. She had always gotten along better with him anyways.

Heading into her room, she shut the door firmly but didn’t lock it. She never had a reason to lock her family out, no matter how upset she was. Mabel sighed and sat at her window, looking down at the backyard. When she was younger, she had a pet pig that would often go out into the garden and steal food, but it had recently passed on. Mabel missed her pig more than anything, and she could still see the small paths he had cut in the grass so long ago. Dipper and her uncles knew better than to step there and disturb the memory.

She found herself thinking about Cipher not too long after. Even a rumor was still interesting to hear, and she couldn’t help but feel in her gut that it was true. Someone had messed with Bill Cipher, messed up his life in a harsh enough way that it nearly ruined him. 


	2. Invitations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow thank you for the wonderful responses! I am going to have to find a good update schedule for this now.

“I want you to check it again.” Bill leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. The accountant sighed and placed the papers on the desk, an open invitation for Bill to pick them up and flip through them.

“I've checked it three times already, my Lord. There's simply nothing left.” Bill checked over the papers, looking at sum totals that were lower than he had ever seen before. Bill had never had to worry about money before, but now it was his top concern.

If he had to pick one word to never hear again, it would be Pines. The family had been a thorn in his side ever since they had acquired their wealth, and while Bill was willing to ignore them at first, they simply demanded attention. Specifically the two elder gentlemen, Stanley and Stanford. The two of them liked to bluff, and while Bill enjoyed that game as well, it was only fun if he was winning.

“I didn't lose this much.” Bill muttered, completely in denial about how hard his losses had hit his company. “I'll call in a couple of favors and fix this right up.”

The accountant he had hired sighed and took the papers back, quickly trying to put them back in the right order. Bill had completely ruined the order they were in.

“That's not going to be enough to cover this, I'm afraid. Not this time.” The man said as he finally got his papers in order. “My suggestion is to find a nice woman to marry. The dowry her family must give will help, and she'll be able to help around the house and take some of the chores off your mind. You're getting a bit too old to stay on the market.”

Bill was only twenty three, but still be was head of the company and close to the end of his bachelorhood. Marriage had been the last thing on his mind when he had been taking care of his company, but his accountant was right, it would take care of a lot of his problems.

“I have no desire to wed.” Bill muttered as more of a defense, though he was searching in his mind for someone who might actually capture his interest. There seemed to be no one.

“You'll have to soon. You need to carry on the Cipher name somehow, and I don't think your maid will enjoy raising your children.” The accountant smirked for a moment, before turning on his heel to leave with a tip of his head. “Your ‘fortune’ won't last forever, my Lord. Best find a solution soon.”

The man left the room with a soft click of the door, leaving Bill to his thoughts. The papers had been taken with the accountant, but Bill had copies of them that he had made by hand earlier when he thought he might need them. Now they proved useless except to tell him the same information over and over again.

The Pines family was all to blame for this. Bill Cipher was always on top! Now he was close to losing his entire fortune and his home because of one family. He refused to let that happen, no matter what the price was, and when he was already close to losing everything he had, no price seemed too steep for him to pay it.

He rang the bell for his maid, ordering her to clean up the mess of papers on his desk. After that he went to order his mail brought to his room. There was nothing there but invitations to parties that he had no interest in going to, but it seemed more important now. Everyone invited him to everything. If only because it was a great insult not to invite him. Bill checked invitations regularly, but only to make sure he was missing out on nothing grand. He did have to keep up appearances after all, and no doubt there were some rumors at this point about his financial situation.

“I'm not getting married.” He muttered more to himself as his gloved fingers flipped through the invites to parties and tea. There was never anything from the Pines family, but Bill would have been more insulted if they had sent him something. The family was on bad terms with Cipher as it was, and if Bill got an invitation, he would go to whatever it was simply out of spite.

Though buried underneath most of the invitations was a rather small one, and could easily be held in the palm of his hand. It had almost escaped his notice at first, but the seal caught his attention. The Northwest family didn't normally contact him, not since he had almost driven them to ruin, but apparently they still thought to invite him places. He had all but forgotten about them, to be honest, but now his memory was sparked. Their daughter was the reason why the Pines were even accepted into higher rank, and they had suffered for the consequences of that. Though he was tired of torturing them.

His thumb broke the wax deal easily enough, revealing the plain white card inside. Bill resisted the urge to crumple it up and toss it away. Their daughter was apparently turning twenty one soon, and he was invited. He couldn't decide what was more irritating, the fact that they thought he would attend or that they thought he would care.

The invitation was plain, written hastily with no care. It would be more scandalous for him to actually show up, since the invitation was only for appearances. They didn't want him to attend as much as he didn't want to attend.

“Jonah.” Bill called for his butler, hastily writing out his acceptance of the invitation. They didn't want him to attend? It was just about the only way to actually get Bill to go out anywhere. Most of the invitations he got showed time spent in them, even if it was just a little bit.

“Yes?” Jonah stepped into the room after quietly knocking, hardly glancing up from the floor. The man had always been shy, and didn't stick his nose in any business that wasn't his own. Bill liked that about him.

“Perfect timing.” His own hastily written reply of acceptance was all but shoved in Jonah’s hands. “Go and send this off to the Northwest’s. Make sure it's actually delivered to a member of the family, not one of the servants.”

Jonah only gave a nod before he left, letter clutched tightly in his hand. It didn't even have a seal on it, just a small triangle scrawled on the back, his own family symbol. Everyone knew what that meant, even if it was just the symbol.

Bill, feeling satisfied that he had managed to get something done during the day, sat down heavily in his favorite chair. The party was the next day, and he didn't think it was a coincidence that he got his invite so close. Another small hint that his invitation was only for appearances, nothing more. He was going to have so much fun there, he could already tell.

* * *

 “This is a complete disaster!” Pacifica all but wailed, sitting on her couch. Mabel had never seen the girl looked so depressed before, not since they were little and Pacifica had gone against her parents for the first time. “He isn't meant to go!”

Sitting on the small table in front of the girls was Bill Cipher’s hastily written out message of acceptance, which had arrived not ten minutes ago. Mabel had just been visiting Pacifica to ask what colors she should wear for the party, but none of them had expected a special delivery to interrupt them. The man had claimed that Cipher ordered him to give the letter specifically to a Northwest, instead of one of the servants.

“Why did you invite him if you didn't want him to go?” Mabel asked before she could stop herself. Pacifica rolled her eyes, completely unlady like, but there was no one there but themselves.

“I can't just ignore him! If I didn't send out some kind of invite, he could have found out about the party and been insulted that I didn't invite him in the first place.” Pacifica sighed, hiding her face in her hands. Mabel reached out and gave her friend's shoulder a pat.

Mabel bit her tongue so she wouldn't say that she had never invited Cipher to any party her family had thrown. She didn't see the point in inviting someone who could be so cruel. Perhaps her uncles had hid it from her, but she had never seen any repercussions to not inviting Cipher, and she still never planned to invite him anywhere.

“Well, unfortunately you can't uninvite him.” Mabel ended up saying. “He will probably just make an appearance and then leave. Nothing you have to worry about.”

Though the only reason Pacifica was throwing a party for her birthday was to invite Dipper. Their invitation had been decorated and hand delivered to the twins, but Mabel had let Dipper take the lead. It was almost a last ditch effort to make Dipper throw his hat in the ring for Pacifica's hand in marriage, since she had many suitors all wondering why she was taking so long to decide.

“You're right.” Pacifica sighed, straightening herself and hiding away her emotions once more. “Nothing I can do about it now. He just wants to see me miserable. It's been like this since we were kids. Did you know his parents died when he was young?”

Of course Mabel knew that. Everyone knew that. No one really knew how his family died though. There were rumors of course, and Pacifica knew them all. The most popular ones were that the older Cipher had found out his wife had taken another lover, shot her and then himself, leaving their six year old son with a fortune but no parents. Mabel had always brushed off that rumor as nothing more than idle gossip.

“Everyone knows that.” Mabel said softly. “It doesn't do us any good to gossip over the dead though. This isn't something for us to talk about.”

Pacifica flushed a little in shame, nodding her head and acting as though she had never brought up the topic. Mabel enjoyed the gossip that was harmless, but it was another thing entirely to talk about the dead who couldn't defend themselves. The silence between them  was awkward now, and Mabel took her cue to leave Pacifica to her thoughts.

“I'll see you at the party tomorrow? Don't you worry about him, it's still your day. Dipper’s so excited to go, and he's never been this excited over a party before.” Mabel could only offer those words as comfort, though Pacifica lit up as though Mabel had spoke of them getting married right then.

“Do you think he'll speak to my father? He keeps pressuring me to chose someone, and I can't hold him off for much longer.” Pacifica waved her hand to the servant, ordering for Mabel's carriage to be brought to the front of the house.

“I've been talking to him. I can't promise anything, but he's been putting it off for long enough.” Mabel walked with her hands clasped in front of her, her gait long and even. There was never a need to rush anywhere for her.

“Well, if he's not interested he should simply come and say so. I'm wasting time waiting for him and not seeing what the other suitors can offer me.” Pacifica held herself high, as if she wouldn't be devastated by the rejection of Dipper. They had both grown up together, alternating between like and dislike constantly. It wasn't until Pacifica was told she had to find a suitor that she realized she already had someone in mind.

“I know, I was looking forward to having you as a sister.” Mabel said softly, before deciding she was done with the sad conversation. “He'll come to his senses, don't you worry.”

The carriage was already waiting for them as they stepped outside, and Mabel stepped away from her friend to accept help into the carriage. Pacifica waved before stepping back inside as though she was never there in the first place. Mabel didn't glance back at her friend, too busy thinking about the rumors that seemed to surround Bill Cipher endlessly.


	3. The Party: Part One

The cobblestone pavement was really not meant for carriages, Mabel decided. It was a rough and bumpy ride, always going over the tiniest of cracks and causing Dipper and Mabel to hit their heads against the ceiling of the carriage. Mabel wouldn’t normally mind, but she had spent a large amount of time organizing her hair perfectly, and every time the carriage rocked it would ruin her hard work. Any other night it would have been fine, but now she was heading to Pacifica’s party. 

Mabel tutted and asked the coachman to slow down, even though they were barely going faster than a snail’s pace already. Dipper groaned softly and tugged at his gloves, brushing his free hand through his bangs to make sure that his birthmark was covered. The pair was quite a state, one hoping to meet new connections for a marriage, and another nervous about finally declaring the intentions he had with the Northwest’s daughter. It was only a matter of time before he had talked to the the head of the Northwest household, and even now it was only at Mabel’s insistence.

“Are you sure I should be doing this?” Dipper asked when they saw the mansion. Mabel’s small gift for Pacifica was tucked into his lap. “She probably has a hundred suitors coming after her already.”

“She does. Even without the money she has a prestigious title that they all want.” Mabel wasn’t going to comfort her brother too much, he needed to be pushed on this matter. Mabel considered herself an expert in marriage at this point in her life. “She can’t put it off any longer waiting for you to work up the nerve, Dipper. If you want to marry her, this is your last chance. She’s been waiting for you.”

They didn’t talk about Mabel’s own marriage, or the way she rejected suitors left and right. It wouldn’t be long before Stanford had to take the reins and make a call for her, since Stanley was too close to Mabel to force her into marriage. At least Dipper had some choice of love, Mabel knew she would be settling, and more than likely to the highest bidder. At least they all agreed that the Gleeful offer would be ignored, even if he didn’t seem to get the message. The gifts he gave were always returned. 

“This is ridiculous. Are we there yet?” Dipper asked, tapping his fingers on the edge of the small box. Mabel had picked out a more romantic gift, just because Dipper would get credit for giving it to her. Though no doubt Mabel would be asked later about the gift itself.

Mabel didn’t reply, brushing out the ends of her own hair in a last ditch attempt to look presentable. She had no idea what else to say, since the matter was out of her hands at this point. Dipper would either throw his hat into the ring of Pacifica’s marriage, or he would sit on the sidelines and let the opportunity pass him by.

The carriage hit a final bump in the Northwest’s driveway, before coming to a stop. Dipper managed to look relieved and agitated at the same time. Mabel didn't hesitate before accepting the help of the coachman. Their family wasn't nearly as wealthy as to have a footman at their disposal, though almost no one was rich enough to have such a thing except the royals. Mabel never really cared, not even sure she would need such a luxury. 

“Dipper, please, this is your last chance. I know you do love her.” Mabel tucked her arm into his so her brother could escort them inside. “I don't want to watch you be unhappy for the rest of your life.”

Dipper sighed, not commenting but not brushing his sister off. Mabel didn't have time to whisper anything else to her brother before they were inside the Northwest Manor, being formally announced as well. Pacifica had not wasted anything, the whole party screaming wealth and status. 

“Presenting Earl and Countess Dipper and Mabel Pines.” The announced decreed, which caused a few heads to turn towards them. Mabel paid it no mind, still not used to the title and attention. When people talked about her family having new money, they meant it. 

Pacifica was the center of attention, all smiles and bright personality. She waved at the twins, unable to break away from the current conversation she was having with a man who didn't seem to understand that wine should be sipped and not gulped down. Mabel couldn't do much for her friend at the moment, but she could subtly nudge her brother in the direction of Pacifica’s father. Dipper gave her a glare for it, but he still sucked in his gut and went over to talk to the man. 

They had arrived early, early enough to be fashionable and make the small statement that they had been looking forward to coming. The music was just starting, and most guests hadn't even gotten tea or a refreshment. Mabel always stayed away from alcohol, not only disliking the taste but also disliking the effect it had on her. 

At this point though, Pacifica’s unwelcomed company was starting to get a bit unruly, and Mabel didn't need an excuse to talk to her friend. As the hostess of the party, Pacifica was expected to entertain all. Mabel on the other hand, not so much. 

“Pacifica, happy birthday dear!” Mabel said happily, going forward and hugging her friend tightly. Pacifica breathed a soft sigh of relief as Mabel excused them from the conversation, leaving the man alone to his wine. “The party is wonderful, though I expected nothing less from your family.”

Pacifica gave a grateful smile, not even noticing as Mabel gently steered them away from where Dipper and Preston Northwest were talking. If Pacifica saw them talking, she would absolutely insist on going over there to find out what they were saying. 

“It's only good now because he hasn't shown up yet.” Pacifica spoke in a hushed whisper, and spat out the words with venom. Mabel had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. 

“He's probably just going to make an appearance and then leave. Don't let him ruin your special day.” Mabel wound her arm through her friends, giving Pacifica’s hand a gentle pat. 

“You don't understand. He ruins everything for me!” Mabel had to shush her when she was too loud. “My apologies. It's just… I think he has a vendetta against my family. Though I don't get why, it was my family that took him in when he lost his parents.”

Mabel held back her surprise, though it was a bit hard. Pacifica had been keeping that a secret for a long time then, since Mabel had never heard that before. Pacifica didn't comment on it more, huffing a sigh and shaking her head. 

“You're right though, I won't let him ruin this for me.” Pacifica managed to stand up straighter, her resolve showing. “He always ruins things, but not this time.”

“Presenting Marquess William Cipher.” The loud voice of the announcer cut through any conversation that they might have had next, and everyone’s attention turned towards the entrance of the room. 

Mabel had never met him before, but for all of the rumors that flew around she was expecting...something else. She wasn’t expecting a man who barely looked older than them, with blond hair and a well tailored suit. She wasn’t expecting the constant smirk on his face, and she wasn’t expecting the way he seemed to immediately zeroed in on her and Pacifica, his cane tapping against the ground with a small click that echoed through the ballroom. Once the other guests realized that the most important person wasn’t paying attention to them, they turned back to their own conversations. 

“Lady Northwest, it’s an honor to see you again.” His voice was smooth, almost like something she could have heard in a dream. Pacifica was as stiff as a board next to Mabel, but still offered her hand to Bill as a proper woman should. “I don’t believe we’ve met though.”

He said the last statement to Mabel, even as he took Pacifica’s hand and pressed a proper kiss to the back of her hand. Mabel still couldn’t believe that this was the man that all of the rumors were talking about. There was something so charming about him, though it was the same kind of charm that came with a snake. Bill Cipher was dangerous.

“Mabel Pines, my Lord.” She was only one rank below him, but Mabel still gave a small curtsy and offered her hand to him. He gave it the same kiss that just barely brushed across her knuckles before he was standing straight again, though a bit of surprise was in his eyes.

“Pines? As in related to Stanley and Stanford Pines?” He asked curiously. Mabel unwound her arm from Pacifica’s, standing on her own now. 

“They’re my uncles. Do you do business with them? They’ve never mentioned the Cipher name before.” Mabel let a small smile grace her face, even at the backhanded comment. She knew her family didn’t do business with the man standing in front of her, but she didn’t have to point it out.

“No, we don’t do business. I just find it curious that I never knew they had such a lovely young woman hiding in their home.” His words were as smooth as the velvet of her dress, not even a second of hesitation. Mabel only kept the smile on her face, though his words almost made a shiver go down her spine. 

Pacifica seemed perfectly okay with letting Mabel take the lead on the conversation. Bill hadn’t taken his eyes off her once since he had decided to give her his attention, and Mabel found it simply strange. They had never even met before, but the way he was looking at her was almost inappropriate. 

“I find it strange that we’ve never met before, Miss Pines.” He spoke smoothly, making it seem as though Pacifica didn’t exist from how he ignored her. Pacifica did take the chance to slip away, leaving Mabel alone.

“Do you now?” Mabel at least found comfort that they weren’t alone somewhere. She kept her hands in front of her, noticing how her dress matched the color of his suit almost perfectly.

“Very strange indeed. Do you have many suitors vying for your attention now?” Bill asked, taking a glass of wine when it was offered to him. Mabel declined softly.

She didn’t get a chance to answer, not that she really would have, the question was much too personal from someone she had just met, when the music finally started at a louder volume. Couples were already taking the floor before the first notes of the waltz finished hanging in the air, going into a sweeping waltz. The elegance was nothing short of amazing, Mabel had always loved dancing.

“Would you honor me with this dance?” Bill asked, voice a little loud to be heard over the music. He held out his hand in a silent invitation, making Mabel glance down at it.

She couldn’t very well refuse him. There was no one else that had offered to dance with her, and there was no excuse she could think of. Refusing a dance would simply come back on her, and even though Pacifica wouldn’t mind it, others would whisper about her rejecting him. 

“Of course.” She murmured before giving a small curtsy once more, slipping her hand into his.

Then they were already with the other couples, with his hand firm on her waist and the music washing over them. Bill was a wonderful dancer, but that was to be expected from someone of his status, anything else would be unjustified. Mabel had learned dancing just for the fun of it, a skill that had come in handy on more than one occasion.

By the time the waltz was over, Mabel’s cheeks were stained with the lightest of pinks and Bill seemed quite proud of the dancing they had done. Other couples were glancing at them, between the pair that had never met before but was already sharing a dance. Mabel was important enough to even be asked for a date from Bill Cipher, and it had only helped her reputation.

“Thank you, for the honor of letting me have that dance.” Bill said, offering her a bow before straightening, just in time to see Mabel give another curtsy and a smile just as expected.

Mabel already knew this was going to be the topic of gossip as Bill took his leave and left her just where they had started, though this time with no friend by her side. This time, when a servant walked by and offered a glass of champagne, she took it. 


	4. The Party: Part Two

Dinner had been served, some of the guests were still dancing, and others were milling about and talking as well. Conversations were hushed and quiet, and while most males were asking ladies to dance and mingling to find that potential wife, a couple of them had escaped to talk business in another room.  
  
One of them, of course, was Bill. He had not asked anyone to dance except for Mabel, and no one else had really gathered his attention as much. She was a lovely young woman, with confidence and a brain to add to that. She didn't like him, and was the only person to ever snub him to his face. Bill really only thought that the only bad thing about her was her family name, and even that would be changed in a little while. Girls like her didn't stay unmarried for long.  
  
Bill eventually found the parlor where other men were sitting, talking business over cigars and whiskey that was too dry for Bill’s tastes. The blond picked up a cigar of his own, joining the others and laughing at jokes made at the expense of others, but still only there to further his business.  
  
“Perfect timing, my man. I’m a little surprised that you stayed, but you're always good company.” A rather stout man spoke, an accent paving the vowels and dragging them out. Bill knew who it was the moment he heard the voice, and glanced up at his friend. Well, friend wasn't a good way to put it. Business associate was better.  
  
“Gleeful.” Bill greeted. “Why wouldn't I be here?”  
  
The implications were harsh, but Bill had heard it all before. He had lived his whole life surrounded by rumors and gossipers, eventually Bill just learned to ignore them. Though some times were easier than others.  
  
“The Pines family is here.” Gideon spoke as though that would have some effect on Bill. It would have irritated him, yes, but it would not have barred him from coming.  
  
“And?” Bill challenged, arching a brow. “You make it sound as though one family would keep me from anything I wish to do.”  
  
Gideon flushed a little, shrugging helplessly. Sometimes there was just no pleasing Bill, no matter how the conversation went. Bill always wanted what others were willing to give, and then a little bit more.  
  
“Did you meet my darling, Mabel Pines?” Gideon asked to make some kind of conversation. Bill only sipped at the whiskey he had been given.  
  
“Your darling?” She had given no indication that she was engaged to someone else, much less Gideon Gleeful. “I did. We shared the first dance of the night.”  
  
“My darling. I told her family of my intention to marry her, but she's just taking her time to decide. You know, women have such fickle minds, she probably is just too busy doing embroidery or something of the sort.” Gideon took a rather large gulp of his wine, more or less trying to convince himself rather than Bill.  
  
“She didn't mention you at all.” It was a low comment, one that didn't need to be made but was already in the air. Gideon didn't seem affected by it, though he did shift awkwardly.  
  
“Well, like I said. Women have fickle minds. She was probably thinking of other things.” Gideon finished his whiskey and blamed the color of his cheeks on the strong liquor.  
  
Bill gave a small, satisfied smirk before he glanced around the room. The gentlemen around them weren't being loud, but they weren't as quiet as normal. It was just nice to get a break from the social standards expected from them. With no women in the room, they had no reason to contain themselves or worry about appearances.

Though on the other side of the room was someone Bill loathed to see, though not as much as before. Meeting Mabel had put a new idea in his head, a plan that just might work if tonight went well enough. It was always fun to discover new people in the game, and Mabel Pines was a player that had recently come to light. Bill planned to use that to his advantage.  
  
Dipper Pines had a glass of whiskey in hand, his cheeks flushed with what could only be described as pride and alcohol. He was talking avidly with a gentleman next to him, mainly talking about the Mistress of the party, one Pacifica Northwest.  
  
“I've known her since I was little. Grown up together. Can't believe he actually said yes. I might just get to marry the woman I love.” Dipper’s words were just a little bit slurred, showing how much he had to drink so far. It was all in celebration, though it still piqued Bill’s interest. Two of the most powerful familiars might be merging, with Dipper bringing his company over and taking on the Northwest’s as well. Bill didn't want to let that happen.  
  
“Congratulations.” The man next to Dipper said earnestly, clapping Dipper on the shoulder. Bill didn't think he would hear any other good gossip, but he was getting another idea. This was an opportunity he had to take, while defenses were down and Dipper had too much to drink.  
  
“How about a game of cards, gentlemen?” Bill called, rising from his place. He hadn't even finished his statement before he got a chorus of drunken cheers, though Dipper still narrowed his eyes in suspicion.  
  
“I'm fine, but thank you for the offer.” Dipper took another long sip of his whiskey, ignoring the calls for him to play.  
  
“That's fine, it is a gentleman’s hobby, after all.” A small number of the men gathered around Bill to start, with Bill himself dealing out the cards.  
  
Dipper stiffened at the challenge, unable to back down now without saying he wasn't a gentleman. He eventually rose, asking to be dealt in as everyone else was.  
  
Whatever joy was left in the air dissipated as the gentlemen played their cards. It was harder to find a man who didn't take the game seriously than one who did, since it always involved money of some kind. Barely any time had passed before it was only Bill and Dipper still playing, with Dipper playing to retain his honor and a Bill playing simply for fun, though with ulterior motives. The alcohol that Dipper had already consumed certainly helped Bill, and it was no coincidence that Gideon constantly fed Dipper drinks as well.  
  
By the end, there were only two opponents, one Bill Cipher and one Dipper Pines. They had been playing for money, but that was quickly running out on Dipper’s end. Bill had let Dipper win the first couple of rounds, but now he simply took everything he could. Dipper was now in debt, even if it was just a couple hundred pounds.  
  
“Out of money already?” Bill almost made his voice a coo, laying his cards face down. “How about one more game then? Double or nothing?”  
  
Dipper blinked slowly, the alcohol making his mind a complete haze. He would have given his answer had it not been for the fact that at that moment, the door opened, and Mabel slowly stuck her head in. The men hadn't noticed the time flying by, but now with the appearance of a woman they became aware of how they frittered away the hours. Mabel saw her brother, slowly walking forward to his side and checking on him.  
  
“Dipper, it's late, we should home.” Though she was more surprised he was even playing cards in the first place. It had never been his game, she had been the one to excel at it while he preferred chess.  
  
“Just a minute, Miss Pines. We were going to play one more game. Your brother owes me a large sum of money, which we were going to bet now.” Bill wasn't going to tell her that it was only a couple hundred pounds, something her family could pay back instantly. She didn't need to know that.  
  
“He's in no condition to play.” Mabel was speaking out of turn, but her brothers safety was coming first to her.  
  
“Then he owes me double his debt.” Bill replied easily, not backing down. Others were watching on, none of them coming to either Bill or Mabel's defense.  
  
“I'll play for him then.” Mabel shot back before she could help herself, almost wincing when she saw the smirk that graced Bill’s face. A man brought her a chair, letting her her sit down gracefully. Everyone seemed to want to see the ending, more than willing to ignore the fact that a woman was playing a man's game.  
  
“Miss Pines, you really have nothing of value to offer me.” Bill leaned forward, lacing his fingers together and resting his head on them. He looked like a king.  
  
“That should be no matter. I do have money if that's what you're worried about. One game, if I win, then my brothers debt is gone, and if you win…”  
  
Mabel moved slowly, letting her words trail off, and reached into her hair and produce her hair pin. The pin was of a star, with small jewels encrusted on it, and it almost made it seem like a shooting star. She dropped it unceremoniously on the table between them, bits of her hair coming loose to fall on her neck.  
  
“If you win, you can have that. I know it's enough to pay off whatever debt he has accumulated.” She picked up Dipper’s cards. “I do hope you plan on remaining a gentleman for this game.”  
  
A subtle reminder of his place, but well called for. Bill took the cards from her, shuffling the deck deftly between his fingers before he dealt them out. The room was so quiet, all that could be heard was their breathing.  
  
“Mabel, do you even know how to play?” Gideon asked, to which Mabel gave him a sharp look. Using her first name suggested a level of intimacy that just wasn't there between them.  
  
“Mr. Gleeful, I suggest you mind your own matters. If you really want to help me, take my brother to my carriage.” Mabel’s concentration was on the cards in her hand, which she organized carefully to make sure they were in proper order.  
  
Gideon looked surprised, but still hefted Dipper up by the arm to help the man to the carriage outside. Mabel hardly noticed, her face carefully blank as she stared down at her cards. After a second she picked out two from her hand and discarded them, accepting two new ones from Bill. While on the outside she looked calm and collected, inside her heart was racing at the actions she was taking. She couldn’t believe she was playing for actual money, that Bill was even giving her that chance.  
  
“Nervous?” Bill asked, having only glanced at his cards once before placing his eyes on her. They seemed to stare into her soul, though Mabel met his gaze easily, once she looked away from her cards. She would not be intimidated.  
  
“Not one bit.” Mabel’s voice didn’t shake, for which she was thankful for. Mabel gave him a small, sweet smile, gesturing for him to go first.  
  
“I must insist, you first.” She said, tossing away one last card, this time not accepting a card from Bill but picking up her own. He didn’t seem to mind, though he watched her carefully.  
  
“As you wish.” He glanced down at her hand as though she would reveal what she was holding, but didn’t comment.  
  
Bill slowly placed his hand down, revealing the cards as a very high suit. She let her shoulders slump, and heard small noises from other people in the room. Bill was a good player, but overly confident. She knew he wouldn’t be beaten easily, but then again, so was Mabel.  
  
“Well?” He asked, though his smirk had only grown when her shoulders fell. Mabel sighed before laying down her cards, her smile only growing.  
  
“Good game, sir, maybe next time you’ll get a higher card.” She showed her own, revealing that she not only had the higher suit, but the highest one possible. Unless Bill had drawn the same hand, he would have been beaten by her no matter what cards he drew.  
  
“What?” Everyone rushed forward, though Bill was glancing back and forth between Mabel’s eyes and the cards on the table. The blond leaned forward, flipping through her cards just to make sure there weren’t any extras she had been hiding.  
  
Mabel was nothing more than a picture of elegance as she rose, to which almost every man helped her, despite how drunk they mostly were. The story of what happened was never going to be told, as no one would ever want to talk about the way a man had been beaten in a game of his choosing by a woman. The only thing she did was give him a nod as he leaned back in his chair, taking her hairpin and doing her best to fix her hair.  
  
“It was a lovely game, Mr. Cipher.” Mabel said softly, almost wincing as Bill stood up to follow her, extending his arm out for her to take.  
  
“I would love to escort you to your carriage.” The way he spoke didn’t leave her with an option, and she moved to place her hand on his arm.  
  
The walk was silent and awkward, with the other men finally returning home and everyone else having already left. Gideon was waiting outside the manor when Mabel and Bill arrived, with the carriage already waiting. Bill took the hand on her arm, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing the back of her hand once more. She could almost feel Gideon seething behind her, and wondered if Bill could feel her racing heart.  
  
“You have a wonderful night, Miss Pines.” He nodded at Gideon before walking away, his cane seeming to appear out of thin air as he walked to his own carriage.  
  
Mabel watched him walk away, accepting the coachman’s help into the carriage and saying a halfhearted goodbye to Gideon simply because he was there. Dipper was asleep and laying on one half of the carriage, and Mabel took her place on the other side.  
  
She was grateful for two things in her life at that moment. One, that her uncles had raised her as well as they raised Dipper and taught her everything she needed to know, and two, that her uncle had taught her how to cheat at cards.


	5. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! Guess who has found out a lot about themselves recently? It's me. I found out I'm developing an allergic reaction to bee stings, that I really love Pokemon, and that I really need to get more sleep. Anyways enjoy this chapter! Go team Mystic!

The party had been fun, and Bill was delighted he went. There was only one person that had actually made the party enjoyable, and it certainly wasn't the hostess. That same person was still on his mind the next morning when he woke up, but Bill really had no complaints about that. She really wasn't the worst thing in the world that he could think of.

In fact, she was fascinating. No one had ever beaten him at cards before, and Bill had the sneaking suspicion that she had cheated to get her way. If anything he respected her more for it. It showed that not only was she willing to do what was needed, but that she had no problems with it. Or perhaps she did and she just didn't show it easily.

Mabel Pines wasn't horrible to look at either, though he really shouldn't be thinking things like that. After Mabel and her brother had left Gideon came after him, not so subtly telling Bill that he was already courting Mabel. Bill had outright laughed before shutting the carriage door and heading to his home.

Now she was in his thoughts as he wrote out a small letter to the Northwest’s thanking them for the lovely time. Bill was manipulative and enjoyed being in power, but he was still a gentleman first. Besides, if it hadn't been for the invitation, he wouldn't have had such a grand time last night.

“My Lord, there is a Gideon Gleeful here to see you.” Jonah cut through Bill’s thoughts, making the man look up and away from his letter. The sun had risen further into the sky, revealing that Bill had been wasting away his time thinking of frivolous things. He hadn't even had breakfast yet.

“Send him up then.” Bill said after hesitating for a moment. At the very least he was grateful that he always dressed his best, and wouldn't have to worry about his looks.

Jonah nodded and gave a small bow before he left to get Gideon, leaving Bill to his letters. This time he actually used his official wax seal on the letter to the Northwest’s, more so because he was in a good mood rather than anything else.

By the time Gideon and Jonah managed to navigate the halls of his home to find his study, Bill was working on his next letter. A notice to the family of intention of courtship was uncommon, but not completely unheard of. Bill probably should have told the family in person, but he had a sneaking suspicion that if he did it wouldn't go over very well. Not that anything he did ever seem to agree with the Pines family.

Gideon didn't exchange many pleasantries, simply walking up to Bill’s desk and throwing down the newest paper, complete with an article about Bill Cipher himself on the cover. How they managed to find out things so quickly always astounded him, but he wasn't surprised.

_‘William Cipher seen dancing with a woman at the Northwest’s ball. Could this be the future Mrs. Cipher?’_

Bill rolled his eyes at the title of the article, though he still took it to start to read. It didn't have any information about what happened once the party officially ended, but it did talk about Bill and Mabel dancing and meeting, and how she was of a lower social standing than himself. It was more surprising that at the end of the article how it mentioned that Mabel didn't dance with anyone but himself. That made a strange sense of pride wash over his chest, but he dismissed it as nothing. It was a tabloid, it was probably just lying so it could sell more copies.

“Is it true?” Gideon didn't take the paper back, though his cheeks were an awful shade of red again. “You didn't tell me you danced with her.”

“And she didn't tell me she had a suitor in mind.” Bill said flatly, reading the other articles on what had happened at the party. “If she really didn't want to dance with me, she would have said so, or at least said she would have to talk with you first.”

“You can't possibly be considering marrying her. She has a lower rank than you, are you really going to marry beneath yourself?” Gideon’s voice was almost a whine, since it was known that once Bill had his mind set on something, nothing would deter him. Bill eventually folded up the paper and set it in his desk.

“Courtship, yes. Marriage, considering. You're not really helping me to lean in the direction that you want.” Bill spoke honestly, not about to sugar coat a situation just to make Gideon feel better about himself. Bill ended up writing more, clearly stating his intent to court Mabel and stay within whatever boundaries she or her family set up.

“Absolutely not, you will not come near my darling Mabel.” Gideon could barely cross his arms over his chest to set up a more defensive posture. Bill chuckled to himself at the stubbornness his so called friend had.

“Already have, Gleeful. Is this all you have to talk with me about? I have more important matters to attend to if you're finished.” Bill wouldn’t have even bothered with the conversation if it hadn’t been for the fact that Gideon gave the best reactions.

“Are you writing a letter to her family?” Gideon almost screeched, making another laugh bubble up from Bill’s lips before he calmed it down. He didn’t need another enemy, and if he kept treating Gideon like it, he would have to add another one to the list.

“I am. If it bothers you so much, let’s consider something else.” Bill placed aside his writing pen, giving his aching hand a break. Writing could be such a chore at time. “Miss Pines is her own woman, and when it simply comes down to the matter, she and her family will be the one to decide who she marries. We can both make our intentions known, but marriage is a two party system. Now, that being said, I do tend to get what I want. How many of her other suitors would drop out of the running if it was suddenly known that William Cipher was pursuing her?”

Bill, for emphasis, took out the paper and tossed it on the edge of his desk near Gideon. Gideon looked down at the article, not touching the paper despite being the one who paid for it and rightfully owned it.

“You think that others would back down simply because they don’t wish to challenge you?” Gideon asked after a long moment, receiving a nod from Bill.

“One doesn’t wish to make more enemies, do they?” Bill shrugged after a second, as though the matter was no big deal, as though he wasn’t thinking of forcing a young woman into a situation that she more than likely didn’t want to be in.

Yet that’s what he liked doing. Bill enjoyed pushing people into corners and seeing how they reacted. That’s what normally did to people, and normally got them in a position where he was in power. Granted, the one time it hadn’t worked out was with the Pines family, but it seemed time to rectify that. Mabel Pines was a woman who had the misfortune to capture his interest.

“No, one doesn’t need to be making more enemies than they already have.” Gideon eventually said, staying for only a moment longer to take the newspaper he had brought before leaving Bill to his letter.

Bill enjoyed the silence as long as it lasted, finishing his letter with a flourish of his signature and his normal symbol. At the very least, he would get a letter in reply in just a couple of days. Jonah was already there, waiting to be called on for the delivery.

“Deliver this to the Pines family, and pick me up a copy of the newspaper while you’re out. The one that has the article about Miss Pines and myself.”

* * *

 Arriving back home late at night with a drunken twin brother who was meant to act as her chaperone did not go over very well. It didn't go over very well for Dipper, that is. Mabel was immediately sent to bed as she heard her uncles lecturing her twin. She didn't exactly feel pity for him either, he deserved whatever lecture he got out of all of this.

The multiple layers of her golden dress took a long time to take off, but the only good part was how the extra cards from the game fell out of her sleeve. Whoever owned that deck of cards was always going to be short now, but that hasn't been her concern at the time. She had to make sure that she won that game.

Her dress was soon stripped from herself and the cards were placed in her jewelry box as a memento for the night. Not that the memories would fade, she was sure that she was always going to remember what happened. Still, she always enjoyed keeping small memories like that, often pressed away in many of the journals she kept on her shelves.

Waking up the next morning wasn’t a very pleasant affair, though it had to be worse for Dipper with all of the yelling that was going on. Her family was a loud one, but they hardly ever actually yelled at each other. Mabel rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she rose from the bed and dressed for the day, donning a simple dress that only needed to be laced up in the back by her maid. Mabel was so used to dressing with someone else at this point that she hardly noticed it anymore.

“...you let this happen. What in the world were you thinking?” Mabel heard Stan say as she slowly made her way downstairs. It was late in the morning, almost noon, but not unheard of for her to get up at this time of day. “You were her chaperone and you came home completely drunk!”

“I was celebrating! You know Mabel is perfectly fine on her own.” Dipper was sitting at their dining table, cradling his head in his hands and trying to think past his headache. “Nothing even happened, she’s fine.”

“She’s fine.” Stan muttered, shaking his head. “That’s not the point! Do you have any idea how long I worked to build up the family name? You just about ruined it all!”

Mabel ended up stepping into the room, pausing for a moment before she elegantly sat down at the table. It was often at times that she forgot about how hard her uncles had to work to build up their family name, that they were still considered ‘new money’ to most people. She had barely sat down for a second before a plate of breakfast was placed in front of her, which Mabel didn’t touch just yet.

“Mabel, sweetheart, what happened last night?” Stanley asked, giving his attention to Mabel when she was settled in. Ford was standing in the corner, looking every bit regal and yet disappointed. She understood, she was disappointed with Dipper as well.

“The ball was lovely, I had fun.” Mabel started out, picking up her fork to push her eggs around on her plate. “I danced, dinner was wonderful.”

“I’m glad you had fun, dear, but why did your brother come home drunk?” Ford spoke up this time, coming to sit down at the table. What had been a lecture was quickly turning into a family meeting.

“I think it was because he got a yes from Lord Northwest about courting Pacifica.” Mabel still couldn’t touch her food, but that was just because she had no appetite.

“Dipper, you’re the one who has to watch Mabel, do you have any idea how it could have turned out if anyone had seen you?” Stanley just about barked, getting a small nod from Dipper.

Dipper didn’t seem to want to defend himself, as he could just sit there and get lectured and have that whole ordeal over with. Mabel finally started to eat, slowly of course as a proper woman should.

“Pardon the intrusion, sir, there’s a man here with a letter from Lord Cipher. He says he has to hand deliver it.” Their head maid said, bowing her head silently. Mabel just about dropped her fork, almost choking on her food.

“Send him in then.” Ford was as stiff as a board, and Stanley already looked ready to punch someone, which hopefully wouldn’t be the messenger.

Mabel placed her fork and food aside, which was quickly taken away. She should have known better than to think Bill Cipher would keep his word. Mabel had been hoping to keep what happened under wraps, but it seemed as though it was all going to come out now. Though no one was going to believe that she had beaten him at cards, or anything honorable really. Mabel never should have played that game with him. Ford was up from his seat before she could say anything, awkwardly pacing as though he couldn’t get comfortable.

Their maid came into the room, leading a rather tall and lanky man in with black hair. The man produced a yellow envelope with a small flourish, handing it to Stanley before giving them a small bow. He didn’t say a word, but he did glance at Mabel with a small smile before he took his leave. It was so quick it was almost like it didn’t happen.

“What does it say?” Ford moved from the corner where he had been standing, leaning over Stanley’s shoulder to read. Mabel mentally prepared herself, trying to take deep breaths and explain just what happened. The two older men were anxious, with Stan tightly gripping the edges of the paper and Ford’s brow furrowed deeply.

“It’s a letter to inform us that he intends to court Mabel.”

Stark silence, except for the small gasp of the maid who was very obviously eavesdropping. Stanley huffed at her, and she scampered off into another room without another glance back, but no doubt the news would be all over the town before the days end. Mabel felt like she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs.

“Dipper, you have two seconds to explain what the hell happened before I explode.” Stanley crumpled the letter, tossing it on the table in front of them all. Mabel took it after a second, her fingers unfolding the now crumpled parchment.

“I don’t remember.” Dipper confessed, shaking his head. “The last I remember is having a drink and someone asking to play cards.”

Just like that, the three men were looking at Mabel for an explanation, since she was now the only one who remembered. She took her time looking over the letter, trying to figure out just where her voice had disappeared to. At least they all seemed to have patience with her.

“It was late, I wanted to go home, and I found Dipper.” Mabel folded the paper back up, setting it gently on the table. It had creases that would never be folded out now. “He was drunk and playing cards with him, Bill Cipher. I went to collect him, and Cipher informed me that Dipper had lost quite a bit of money. He told me that he and Dipper were about to play one last game for everything, and I told him that Dipper was in no condition to play.”

Dipper never gambled before, or at least not with cards. He had his head in his hands at this point, missing the disappointed stare he got from Ford at Mabel’s words.

“He said I had nothing worth playing for, so I bet the hairpin you got me, Grunkle Stan, and I might have… sort of...cheated.” She said the last word with a flush of shame, but she knew that Stan wouldn’t be upset over her actually cheating. “I couldn’t let him win! He said Dipper owed him quite a sum of money, and I didn’t think he would actually play with me. I didn’t want him to have something over us.”

Stan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he was known to do, and Mabel ducked her head in shame. She shouldn’t be going out of her social standings and doing such things as gambling and talking to men without permission, but it was hard to remember where her place was when she grew up with uncles who treated her the same as Dipper.

“Dipper, you not only got drunk, but you started betting and made Mabel fix that for you. We don’t have any female family members, you’re meant to act as her chaperone.” Ford just sounded disappointed, eliciting a small cringe from Dipper that even Mabel could see.

“What can we do about this? We can’t let him do this, not Cipher.” Stan seemed to have a problem with the paper on the table, grabbing it and crinkling it up and destroying it completely.

Ford had started his pacing once more before he could think of anything else to say, hands behind his back and shoulders as tense as a board. The whole family was tense now, but they all seemed to be staring at Ford in waiting for a response, or at least a way out of this.

“What can we do? By all accounts he’s a ‘good match,’ he’s wealthy, he could support Mabel and our family for generations. We can protest the match, but what would that do for our social standing? We’ve already done enough against Cipher, he doesn’t need anything else hanging over us.” Ford picked up the paper, tossing it in the corner of the room so it wouldn’t be seen.

“I don’t want to see him around here. I don’t want him to marry Mabel.” Stan shot back, going as far as to finally rise from his place.

Mabel couldn’t hear about this anymore. She stood, looking away from her hardly eaten food shaking her head. No matter what she did, she couldn’t very well deter Cipher from pursuing her, but at least she still had other suitors vying from her hand. She went over to the corner, carefully picking up the letter and heading back to her room. She had a letter to write, after all.


	6. Tea Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need like reminders that this exists and that I should be working on this fic

“You have no idea what you're doing, do you?” Jonah hardly ever spoke out of turn, but whenever he did it was always a comment about something Bill was doing. Bill scowled a little down at the letter he had received in reply from Mabel herself, not looking up at Jonah. 

“I know what I'm doing. If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it.” Bill snapped, resisting the urge to fire Jonah right there. It was so hard to find good help though, and Bill actually liked him. 

The letter shouldn't even be called a letter, more of a small statement. Mabel obviously put the time to reply into it, which made Bill pause even more. It could be dismissed as an error if it wasn't for the fact that she obviously spent time replying. 

One slip of parchment, with a single word elegantly written on it. Bill had been expecting a reply from Stanford, not something from Mabel herself. Though this gave him the opportunity to keep up a correspondence if he wished. 

“Everyone’s talking about her, you know. Did you see the other tabloids? They're all talking about how you might be pursuing someone outside of your social standings.” Jonah was speaking out of turn, but Bill did like to hear the local gossip. 

“And?” Bill didn't see where the conversation was going, still looking down at the reply from Mabel. The one word on the page stared up at him, taunting him. 

“And, my Lord, if you really don't plan to pursue her, now would be the time to leave her be.” Jonah wasn't very opposed to speaking out of turn, knowing how much value he was worth to Bill. 

“What do you mean?” Bill’s tone was sharp, but he didn't oppose Jonah speaking. 

“The tabloids will destroy her before you can, my Lord.” Jonah’s voice was a bit soft, in a tone that Bill easily recognized as getting a lecture. Bill’s scowl instantly deepened. “You know they won’t look kindly on you courting her, and I know you. You might be able to move on after this, but she won’t. Are you only doing this to get revenge on her family?”

No, he wanted to say, just like the single word on the paper. He wasn’t just doing this because of revenge. He could easily ruin her life, Bill realized that. Yet she was actually interesting, she didn’t seem afraid to challenge him, and he wanted to be a part of that. He wanted to get to know her.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” Bill eventually snapped, not wanting to address how long of a pause he took to answer that question. “I hired you for your help, nothing more.”

Jonah sighed, shaking his head but not saying anything more on the matter. Bill clenched his free hand, staring for a moment as he couldn’t think of what to say now. He got so involved in his goals sometimes that he forgot who could get in the way of that. He normally didn’t care either. Bill always tramped who was in the way of his path, getting what he needed from people and leaving them in the dust. 

Yet he always liked the challenge, and Mabel was a challenge. Was he willing to ruin her life though? Bill had avoided women, as they didn’t handle their family’s business and he didn’t have a desire to get married. Jonah was right though, if he pursued her, he would basically be cutting off her other suitors from her. 

“My Lord?” Jonah snapped Bill out of his thoughts, getting a glare from Bill. “Are you alright? I did not mean to upset you.”

Bill waved his hand and dismissed Jonah, not in the mood to entertain anymore. Jonah gave his normal small bow before he left the room, closing the door softly as he always did. Bill was left with his note and knowing he would have to make a reply back, but uncertain of what to say. She had only written back that one word, and by all accounts he couldn't blame her. She had no responsibility to keep up the acquaintance they had, even if she was of a lower class. If anything, he shouldn't be approaching her. Everyone expected him to go after the Northwest’s daughter. Pacifica just wasn't as interesting as Mabel Pines was. 

This was turning into a headache when it should have just been fun. There was no reason why he should have as much of a conundrum as he did. Bill sighed and took out a fresh slip of parchment, actually writing a letter to Mabel this time, not her family. Jonah was right, he needed to make a decision, and he knew the best way to do that.

* * *

Her letter had been sent, and Mabel felt herself turn into an anxious mess waiting for whatever reply might come. She had been quite daring, sending a one word reply to a letter that hadn't even been addressed to her. All the comfort she had was the fact that Cipher wouldn't reveal her actions during their game, since he wouldn't want to be found losing to a female.

He could do worse though. He could run her family out of business, he could spread rumors about her virtue and no one would be able to stop him. While Mabel didn't like him, she could at least recognize that he was powerful, and no doubt had some ulterior motive with all of this, even the intent to court her. 

“Miss Pines?” Her maid called through the door, lightly knocking on it. Mabel had gone upstairs after hearing the news and had refused to come downstairs ever since. When she was younger, she wore sweaters constantly and would disappear into them when she was overwhelmed. Now, as a young woman on the cusp of getting married, she didn't have that option. She wasn't allowed her sweaters in public and the only sanctuary she had was her room. When she wasn't feeling well or didn't want company, she kept the door shut. Everyone knew better than to bother her, except her brother. Dipper always managed to make her feel better. 

“What is it?” Mabel was informal, but it didn't really matter right now. She was too worried, to upset to really care about how she came across. 

“You have a guest asking for your company. It's Gleeful. Do you wish for me to tell him you're not feeling well?” 

Mabel groaned, going over to her bed and burying her face into her favorite pillow. She would have welcomed company of her friends, but Gideon Gleeful was the last person she wanted to see, next to William Cipher himself. 

“It would be rude. Come and help me dress properly and I'll be down in a minute.” A day dress was more than appropriate to welcome Gideon into her home, but it also suggested a level of intimacy and said she was comfortable with him. Mabel would have easily greeted her friends in a day dress, but not Gideon. 

Soon enough she was dressed in a finer dress, her hair pinned up in a tight bun where no strands would fall loose. Mabel wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing Gideon, but she also wasn't rude enough to turn him away. It was within her right, but she did want to be friends with Gideon. Just not husband and wife like he wanted. 

“Darling, you look gorgeous.” He greeted the moment she came downstairs, hat tucked neatly underneath his arm. Mabel had never seen him wear it and mess up his perfect hair, but he did always carry it around. 

“Mr. Gleeful, for the last time we are not engaged, and we have not discussed marriage. If you can't address me properly I'm going to have to ask you to leave.” She wasn't in the mood to pander to his delusion. They weren't even close to being engaged, and his familiarity always managed to irritate her. 

“My apologies, Miss Pines. That's actually what I came here to talk to you about.” Gideon sat down across from Mabel as she sat down gracefully on the small couch they kept. It was Stanley's favorite place to sit. 

“What is there to discuss? I do believe my uncles have made it quite clear how they and I feel on the situation.” Mabel watched as her favorite maid brought in two cups of tea for them, also acting as a chaperone for this meeting. Apparently no one else was available. 

“I was told you had no interest in pursuing our relationship, yes. I simply wanted to have a chance to court you, to be given a fair chance as everyone else has.” Gideon spoke softly, the same tone he always had a habit of using around her. Mabel always felt like he was talking down to her. 

“I don't see the point when I can tell you the answer right now. Mr. Gleeful, you seem to have a problem with understanding the meaning of the word ‘no.’” How Mabel wished her uncles or Dipper were there with her. Not that she couldn't handle herself, she just didn't wish to deal with this matter. 

“Is it too much to ask for a fair chance? I'm a perfectly good candidate, I can support you for the rest of your life, and provide for any children we have. I'm well respected in the community, I'd make any woman a wonderful husband.” He placed his hat on his knee as he talked, and Mabel could see the small tremor in his hand. She couldn't tell if it was because he was nervous or because of irritation from her continually denying him. 

“We wouldn't be well together, Mr. Gleeful. I understand that must be difficult to grasp.” It was the most direct way that she could say she didn't want to marry him, and Mabel almost wished she had dismissed him instead of coming downstairs. 

“How can you know that if you haven't even given me a chance?” He snapped at her, making her sit up just a little bit higher to be defensive. “You'll give Cipher a chance but not me?”

“That is none of your business, sir, and you have just about overstayed your welcome. I have told you that I am not interested and you have not been able to accept that. I have also told you that I am happy to remain friends, but if that is not enough for you, I suggest you leave now.” Mabel didn't rise just yet to see him off, since she was more interested in giving him a chance to prove himself. This was not a conversation she should be having alone with Gideon, even if her maid was there. 

“Please, Ma-Miss Pines.” He corrected himself when he noticed her narrowed gaze, cheeks flushing a little with shame. “I only ask for a chance to win your hand. Your season is about to end, isn't it? The least you could do for me is let me have a chance.”

Mabel almost winced as he mentioned her season ending. This was her only chance to find a suitable husband, and if she didn't, her options would be to find a church to become a patron in or spend the rest of her life as an outcast. Her family wouldn't be able to do much to help her on that matter, not when they were already trying their best to accommodate Mabel's wish to marry for love.

“I do not owe you anything, Mr. Gleeful. I will, however give you a chance, if you do insist. Though my answer now will be the same as it was back then, and as it is now. We will not wed.” Mabel finally stood, his dismissal clear in the tone of voice she used. Gideon looked nothing short of relieved though, and it made dread fill her stomach. Gideon was almost as stubborn as her, he wouldn't be deterred from what he wanted. 

“You won't regret this, darling.” He was beaming now, as though he hadn't been upset barely a moment ago. 

At the very least he recognized social cues when he wanted to, and took his leave with a bow. Mabel forbid any more guests from coming to see her that day, and found herself locked in her room sitting at the window staring at the garden. At least the garden didn't care if she was getting married or not. 


	7. Another Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I do love this fic, I won't ever abandon it, just so you all know.

For all accounts, Mabel should have not been welcome at most social events because of her standing. Well, not so much for her standing, but for the fact that she did not have a female chaperone to take her from parties or to build up her social connections. Dipper was allowed to escort her from place to place, but the real fact of the matter was that most people overlooked that part of her life because she was friends with Pacifica Northwest. It was no coincidence that Mabel and Pacifica were constantly seen together, with no one commenting on the fact that Mabel was merely riding Pacifica’s coat tails in society meetings. 

It was a mutual understanding between them, if anything. Pacifica knew how much she meant to Mabel, and Mabel knew how much she meant to Pacifica. Their relationship wasn't just based off of social standings and finding a husband, but actual friendship that they hoped would one day turn into sisterhood. 

A day after the party and having the meeting with Gideon, where Mabel had also gotten a lecture from her uncles about having a chaperone there even if Mabel insisted that she had her maid, Mabel received a letter in the mail from Pacifica. The Northwest's held a majority of the parties for young women to meet during their season, if only because their daughter was one of those eligible women searching for a husband. Mabel went to every single party that the Northwest's threw, mainly to see her friend. 

“Make sure Dipper escorts you.” Ford said, reading over her shoulder. Mabel jumped with a slight frown, not liking the way he felt the need to read over her shoulder when she would have told him anyways. 

“Grunkle Ford, I'll be fine.” She felt strange having to take her brother everywhere, but if she had an aunt or a mother in her life they would be escorting her around. “How much trouble could I get in?”

“A lot of trouble, Mabel. It's either Dipper escorting you around or Stanley, and I don't think you'd want Stanley watching everything you do.”

If it was meant as a threat, it didn't really work well. Stanley would let her get away with a lot more than Dipper would, but it would simply look bad on her image to have her uncle escorting her around. At least Dipper was her age. However, Stan did know how to have fun. 

“Grunkle Ford, you don't have to baby me through this.” Mabel folded the letter up carefully before rising. “I'm doing fine on my own.”

She sort of had to, since there was no other choice. If it hadn't been for Pacifica being as kind as she was, Mabel would have been a social outcast. 

“Shouldn't you be lecturing Dipper? He's the only who got drunk last time and left me alone.” Mabel almost muttered, shaking her head. “I can only do so much when I’m the one who apparently needs supervision.”

“Mabel, that’s not what I meant.” Ford said immediately, but Mabel didn’t really want to hear it. She used one hand to help gather her skirts before sweeping from the room, no longer wishing to stay there.

If Mabel knew anything, she knew that she didn’t need someone to take care of her. One day, she would be the woman who ran the household with her husband, she would be the one that the servants listened to. Her husband might run a business or be a part of the government, but her role would be running the household. She didn’t need help when she cheated in poker, she didn’t need help when she made her own way in society with Pacifica. The Pines family wasn’t just known for their business, they were known for how well they fit in. Mabel was a large part of that.

“Dipper, your darling Pacifica is holding a party tonight, I want to go.” Mabel loved teasing her brother, and at her words a large blush came over his face.

“I haven’t even started to court her.” Dipper mumbled, trying to fix his carvart. Mabel motioned over for one of the servants to show him how to fix it. 

“Tonight will be a perfect opportunity then.” Mabel fixed her gloves, noticing she had to fix the trim on one of them. “Dance, be merry, maybe not drink.”

Dipper gave her a look before she laughed and walked away, at least having the plans in mind. Dipper never seemed to mind her teasing, but lately he just seemed annoyed with her. Mabel sometimes had to remind herself that she was meant to be grown at this point, that she was a woman of stature. It was so easy to forget.

* * *

By the time Dipper and Mabel arrived at the party, the music had already started and many people were already there. It wasn’t anywhere near the grand ball that the Northwest’s had thrown earlier, but it was still a high end party where people could mingle. Dipper for once wasn’t fidgeting with nervousness, but instead with eagerness as Mabel made sure her dress was perfect. The dress she was wearing was perfect for a more casual get together, but still high end. Mabel always saved her family a fortune by making her own clothes.

“Don’t get into too much trouble, Mabel.” Dipper teased as the carriage finally arrived, a servant of the Northwest’s came to help them out. Dipper politely refused the hand extended to help him, but Mabel took it with grace.

“As long as you stay away from the spirits.” Mabel unfolded her fan, waving it gently in front of her face. She didn’t have to worry about the message that might send others just yet, since they weren’t inside. Mabel only needed to worry about looking good and having fun.

“Amusing.” Dipper offered his sister his arm, walking into the Northwest Manor. Mabel let her fan slow down to an average pace so it wouldn’t speak that she was busy or unwelcoming to contact, only that she was an open person.

Almost everyone had already arrived when Dipper and Mabel arrived, and Mabel was reminded of the time when she was younger and her first party had been at the Northwest’s, when Dipper claimed he and Pacifica caught a ghost and Mabel was sincerely doubtful about that. Most of her memories were fond, to say the least, but at least she had yet to have one bad memory while at the Northwest Manor.

“Mabel!” Pacifica rushed over as soon as she spotted her friend, giving her a hug as soon as they were close enough. Dipper, deciding now would be the perfect time to be as regal as possible, gently took Pacifica’s hand and placed a kiss on the back of it.

“Oh, well aren’t you behaving just as a gentleman.” Pacifica teased, making Mabel giggle. Dipper blushed a little as they teased him, but there was a small smile on his face.

“I just can’t catch a break with you ladies.” Dipper shook his head. “Not that I’d expect any less from you and my sister.”

Mabel accepted a small glass of champagne from a servant passing by, handing one to Pacifica as well since her friend might want one. Right now, the party was light and comfortable, Mabel didn’t feel the stifling need to be someone she wasn’t, and everything was relaxed. Mabel wished that all the parties she went to could be this easy. 

“Lovely to see you, Miss Northwest. You do host the best parties.” 

Well, the fun times couldn’t last for long, it seemed.

Bill Cipher took Pacifica’s hand, placing a small kiss on the back of her knuckles. It was always polite to greet the hostess of the party first, and with that done, Bill immediately turned his attentions to Mabel. Dipper offered Pacifica his arm, not saying anything to Bill since he wasn’t greeted himself. 

“Miss Pines, lovely to see you as well.” Bill’s voice reminded her of a babbling brook, a source of running water that wouldn’t be silenced. “I’m delighted to see that you returned home okay.”

Mabel slowly transferred her fan to her left hand, though she didn’t think Bill would take the subtle hint that she wanted to be left alone. The stifling social standings were expected of her once more, and Mabel honestly hated it. At least when she was younger she didn’t have to worry about finding a husband. 

“Well, you two already seem well acquainted.” Pacifica drawled, not bothering to hide the way she glanced between the two of them. “Though I don’t believe I properly introduced you last night. Mabel, this is William Cipher, William Cipher, this is my good friend Mabel Pines.”

With proper introductions in place, there was no longer a reason why Bill could not approach her in other social situation, though that probably wouldn’t have stopped him from doing so before. Once more the group descended into silence, no one seeming to know what to talk about.

“Mr. Pines, how does your family’s business go? I heard your family was trying to make connections in America, weren’t they?” Bill hooked his cane over his arm, gesturing over a servant to bring them all drinks. Dipper politely declined, while Mabel stuck with the drink she had. Pacifica never liked to drink.

“Yes, we’re already set up a couple of new investors who have expressed their interest in coming to see my company.” Dipper would be inheriting it, and he knew just about everything that Mabel knew. Their uncles never bothered to hide facts of the business from the twins, always letting them know the facts and where money came from.

“That’s fascinating. The business your family made seemed to take off rather quickly, didn’t it?” Bill had been handed whiskey, a harder liquor for the men there, and took a very long sip from it. At this point, Mabel was just sick of dealing with people who constantly drank.

“If all you men are going to do is drink and talk business, I don’t really see a point for Pacifica and I to be here.” Mabel sighed, handing off her champagne, her fan closed firmly now. Pacifica and Mabel couldn’t very well contribute to a conversation on this topic, and it was quickly growing boring.

“My apologies, Miss Pines.” Bill finished off his whiskey and handed off the empty glass to the same servant Mabel had handed her drink to. “I was just pointing out something that was a bit strange, how your family’s business seemed to take off without a hitch. Does it not strike you as strange?”

Mabel pursed her lips, resisting every urge to turn around and leave and not continue this conversation anymore. She had caused a big enough scandal already by playing cards, she didn’t need to give Pacifica and her brother a bad image by throwing a fit and storming off. 

“Are you interested in investing, Mr. Cipher?” Dipper shot back, the conversation now getting a bit heated. Bill only had a small smile on his face, what could only be described as a smirk.

“Oh, not at all.” Bill replied just as easily. “Just making a simple conversation.”

“Hard to think you actually sent a letter asking to court my sister, but you want to find out my business plans without actually setting up any business.” Dipper normally wasn’t one for quick replies, he tended to stumble over his words and get too caught up in the moment, but his reply made their entire group almost freeze. At least no one else seemed to hear it.

“Well, lovely impression everyone’s making on each other.” Pacifica drawled out, now having to act as a hostess to get the small argument to disperse. “If you gentlemen can’t play nice, then the conversation must come to an end.”

Pacifica was giving Mabel a look that seemed as though she had kept a horrible secret, and Mabel could only shrug slightly. She had meant to tell Pacifica, but the time had never come and Mabel hadn’t expected Bill to be at another social event. It was with a bit of dread that she thought he might be at future social events as well.

“You’re right, Miss Northwest. Please accept my sincerest apologies.” Bill always seemed a bit over dramatic, and even went as far as to offer a small bow and a tip of his hat. Dipper didn’t bother to hide his disdain. “And to you as well, Miss Pines. I did not mean to be rude.”

Mabel nodded slightly, though really wasn’t in the mood to accept apologies. Dealing with Bill was stressful, it was almost hard to believe that there was something inside him that made him desire a wife, and that he happened to chose her. As far as Mabel knew, she was the only person that had heard of any courting from Bill Cipher. So far, he wasn’t doing a very good job.

“Apologies accepted, Mr Cipher. Now, let’s enjoy the party and forget about the past.” Mabel gave an awkward smile, lying through her teeth about hard feelings and enjoying the party. She needed another drink.


	8. Gifts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suddenly got inspiration to write for this, so here you go! I promise, it might be slow but I will finish this fic.

The party hadn't actually been too bad. After the small blip in conversation, Bill had been a gentleman, only engaging in conversation that the women could partake in as well. It was better than being forced into silence, and Mabel had guessed she wouldn't be able to get out of his company for long. Though she did think that he brought up an excellent point. The company her family had created did take off rather quickly, quicker than most, and it raised suspicion. Though Mabel couldn't actually investigate it, she could be on the lookout for other things that didn't make perfect sense. 

“Sweetheart, I don't think I approve of all of the gifts that we've been getting for you.” Stan said, entering the parlor with yet another package tucked underneath his arm. Once a formal introduction had been made, gifts were often included, though Mabel couldn't accept half of them. Either Cipher was trying to win over her affections or he just didn't understand how it would look if she accepted fine jewelry from him. 

“Unmarked again? It's as though he thinks I don't know who's sending these to me.” Mabel placed her book to the side, examining the small box. All of the gifts she had received had no name on them, no return address, nothing that would indicate who it was from. Though they all knew. 

“I'll send him a message to stop.” Mabel sighed, still opening the box after hesitating a long moment. Nestled inside the paper was a small trinket to place in her hair, small but obviously expensive. It matched her favorite one, the same one she had bet in the card game with Bill. 

“If he hasn't gotten the message by now, I doubt that he will at all.” Stan sighed. “I won't force you to accept his courtship, but I will encourage you to look other places. Has anyone else caught your interest?”

Mabel nodded, placing the small hairpin back in the box and handing it off to her maid. The gifts had been accumulating in a small pile near the fireplace, waiting for her to accept them or send them back. A couple of men lately had caught her eyes, but she had not heard from most of them. 

“Grunkle Stan, I hate that I have to do this. I wish I could take my time.” Mabel sighed, mourning the loss of time even though she had already wasted more time than most women already got. This was her last season, if she didn't find a suitable husband by the end of the summer, she would either be exiled from society and forced to become a nun, or she wouldn't ever leave home again. Either way, Mabel felt like a burden to her family. 

“I know, sweetheart. Life isn't easy.” Stan gave her shoulder a small pat. “I just want what's best for you.”

“It would be best for me to meet someone who wanted me, not just an investment in your company.” Mabel couldn't help but pout slightly. “I suppose that's my job then, searching through who just wants me for a prize.”

If Mabel would have her way, she would be living on her own, with another pet pig and only have to worry about the clothes she made. She was so creative, but everything about that was stifled. She couldn't wear the clothing she wanted, she couldn't do the activities she wanted, Mabel's full time job was meant to be finding a husband. 

“Cipher’s out of the question then.” Stan laughed. “His family and our own have been at it for a decade now. Though let me tell you, it was not easy doing business with a teenager.”

“A teenager?” Mabel didn't know what was more shocking, the fact that some of the rumors were true and that Bill was an orphan, or the fact that their two families had actually done business together. Mabel supposed that it was both, each shocking in their own way. 

“Yeah, the kid was like what, thirteen when I met him? Sounds about right. Thirteen and running the show. Or at least he thought so. It's not important anyways. Why don't you write a message to that one young man who was here the other day?”

Mabel made a slight face at the mention of writing a man, though it was more out of distaste for the man than writing itself. He had wasted no time in getting to know her household and the income before actually getting to know her. 

“I'd rather write a letter to Cipher.” Mabel muttered, finally rising. “I think I'll go to the tea house.”

Mabel spent almost all of her free time there, after all. It was one of the few places she could go to besides church where she didn't need an escort. Stan nodded, only rising after she had risen herself. When she was younger, he had a harder time with manners, but now it seemed like second nature to him. 

“Have fun sweetheart.” Stan gave his great niece a kiss on the head before finally turning away, leaving Mabel to get ready for an outing. 

* * *

Jonah more than likely did this on purpose. Occasionally, Bill would come down from his meal for a favored cup of tea, only to find that they had mysteriously ‘run out’ of it. Since he didn't trust anyone else to actually go and purchase the right kind of tea, Bill would have to go himself to get it. He was pretty sure this was just Jonah’s way of forcing him out of the house, despite Bill actually going out more lately and going to parties. 

“I wonder if I searched your room, would I find my tea?” Bill asked, shrugging on his coat and hooking his cane over his arm. 

“I have no idea what you're talking about, my Lord.” Jonah handed Bill his favorite hat before stepping back. “It's a lovely day out, just enjoy it! No one will think twice if you're gone for a couple of hours.”

Bill scoffed, but still went out to the waiting carriage. Except for the recent parties that he attended to catch a glimpse of a young Miss Pines, Bill was almost always at home. He did feel the need to get out, maybe travel, but he didn't see the point, not when he had so much work to do. 

It was a strange route that he took to the tea house, but Bill often found that people waited for him, wanting to catch him off guard and work out deals. He had little patience for people he didn’t approach himself, and found himself much more reckless when he didn’t plan out his meetings. A lot of his decisions of late had been fueled by emotions, but they weren’t anything that got him in trouble. Bill didn’t need any trouble.

“The usual, Lord Cipher?” Bill almost didn’t realize he was at the tea house until he was walking through the door, and the man behind the counter was talking to him. He nodded slightly, though asked for the tea to be made here as well as for some tea to take home to brew himself.

“Mr. Cipher.” A rather lighthearted voice called out, making Bill turn his head. It wasn’t often that he saw Mabel Pines lately, but he had taken to going to more parties in hopes of seeing her. Lately he was becoming known as rather social because of it.

“Ah, hello Miss Pines. Out for tea?” He didn’t intrude himself on her, rather just taking a step closer so that they didn’t have to talk across the room. 

The young woman nodded, placing down the paper she had been reading over. She didn’t invite him to sit with her, but she wasn’t turning him away and Bill considered that some form of a win. It seemed like with her it needed to be baby steps, which was strange to Bill because normally women were always interested in him.

“Yes. Would you like to join me?” Mabel asked softly, pouring herself a bit more hot water for her tea. Bill didn’t even get a chance to nod before his tea was brought to the table, and he found himself sitting with her. Life needed to slow down for a minute, if only to let Bill catch up.

“Thank you.” Bill ended up saying, taking a sip of the tea and burning his tongue on the hot water. “Are you writing a letter?”

Mabel nodded, though proceeded to fold up the letters she had been writing and place them away from his sight. She was probably only protecting her privacy, but with the way that she looked at Bill almost made it seem as though she was expecting him to pry. Bill just sipped at his tea more.

“Yes, to you actually.” Mabel brought her gloved hands into her lap, and had no hesitation about staring him down. Bill met her gaze easily. “You’ve been sending me gifts.”

“I’ve been what?” Bill almost choked on his tea, and while he had been thinking about what a good idea Jonah had by forcing him out, it now went all down the drain. Jonah better not have been sending out gifts. “I assure you, I have not.”

“Please, don’t patronize me.” Mabel’s tone was a bit sharp, and she paused before speaking again. “They come only addressed to me, the gifts are not appropriate, and they don’t come with an address for me to return them to. At the least, take them back, I can’t accept them.”

“Miss Pines, I assure you, I haven’t sent you any gifts, that’s hardly appropriate of me.” Bill spoke quickly, determined to resolve this. “I might have sent a letter to inform you of my intentions, but we’ve talked twice and I would only send an appropriate gift. And honestly, do you really think I wouldn’t send something that didn’t scream it was from me?”

Mabel sighed a little, still staring right at him. Bill knew she was trying to figure out if he was lying about the gifts. Truthfully, he had considered sending gifts, but maybe something like flowers or a book. He wanted the first gift that he gave her to be something special, not something she would throw in a drawer and forget about.

“I don’t know anyone else who would send me such things.” Mabel confessed, her shoulders relaxing just a little bit. “Mr. Cipher, if it really is a joke, if you don’t intend to court me, could you please just tell me now? I promise I won’t hold a grudge, I just don’t want…”

She trailed off a bit, and Bill nodded after a second. She didn’t take him seriously and he didn’t blame her for that. There was nothing that really told her that he was taking it seriously, not after their first meeting and the way they got along. She at least seemed to find him tolerable, and he was just fascinated by her. 

“I assure you, Miss Pines, it's not a joke, it's not a game. You're fascinating, and I never say anything I don't mean. My intentions are exactly as I spelled them out in my letter.” Bill have a nod of thanks to the shopkeeper who brought his tea, all the while knowing the man was listening. 

“I just don't understand why.” Mabel sighed, staring at the table instead of him for a moment. “Why drag yourself through the muck of tabloids and rumors just so you could have a chance to court me?”

To be honest, he wasn't sure if that was a question he was meant to answer. Bill could care less of what people thought of him, of what his friends would say or what his business associates would think. When it came down to the issue at hand, he was a selfish man, and he wanted her. Nothing ever stopped Bill from getting what he wanted before. 

“If I cared what people thought, I wouldn't have done half the things I've done in life.” Bill left out how they were mainly dragging her through the mud, even though it was all his fault. “You're an interesting woman, Miss Pines. All I really want is a chance.”

“You're asking for more than I've given Mr Gleeful, and he's been trying to court me for years.” Mabel sighed again, and Bill could almost worry that he was causing her unnecessary stress. “I suppose I have no real reason to deny you a chance, but the moment that I think anything suspicious is going on, it ends.”

She really wasn't in the position to be making demands, and really, she should be thankful that he was even showing interest in her since he was higher in the social chain. Though Bill didn't think that would ever stop her from doing what she wanted in life. 

“You won't regret this, Miss Pines.”

“I suspect I already do.”


	9. Unwelcome Guest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Another update? You guys better love me.

Of all the things that were normal in life, it wasn’t her life at the moment. She was lucky enough to have two men courting her at the same time, but even she could notice how it seemed to make other men drop off the planet for her. Before, she could easily say that she had other men at least interested in her, but they seemed to drop off the face of the earth the moment that they heard that the notorious Bill Cipher had expressed his interest in her.

Today was one of the first days that her courtship with Bill, and while the outing was nothing more than a walk in the park, Mabel found herself actually excited for it. Or maybe nervous. She couldn’t really tell, not when she had butterflies in her stomach and her hands kept fanning out the skirts of her dress to make sure everything was perfect.

She most certainly wasn’t nervous.

Yet when she heard the light knock on the front door, Mabel couldn’t help the smile that rushed across her face as she went to open it. Thankfully her brother was busy with reading, and her uncles were taking care of business in the other room. No one was there to see Mabel off except her maid and a servant who was too busy cleaning.

“Mr. Gleeful?” Mabel asked with a gasp when she finally managed to wrestle the door open and saw who was standing there. 

“Hello, darling.” He said with a bright smile, a bouquet of daisies in one hand. Without another word of greeting, he strode past her into the home. Mabel bit back the retort that he hadn’t been invited in, merely closing the door and crossing her arms. She missed Waddles so badly, he made a good guard pig. At least her family was so close to where she could shout if she needed them.

“Well, this has been a nice surprise.” Mabel sighed, once more making sure her dress was perfectly hanging off her form. She knew Bill was still due to arrive at any minute. “But it can’t really last, I have places to be.”

“What could be more important than being with me? I was thinking we could go for a walk.” He handed her the daisies, and while Mabel could agree they were pretty, she felt strange accepting them. Gideon was always breaking social barriers with her without ever considering whether or not she was ready to go. 

“I have another-” Mabel paused when she heard a knock at the door, sighing slightly. This was not the way she planned her day to go.

Turning away from Gideon and still holding the bouquet, Mabel smiled awkwardly at Bill as he stood on her porch. At least he didn’t do anything other than glance down at the flowers in her arms and raise a brow.

“I think I’m the one who’s meant to bring you flowers, Miss Pines, not the other way around.” He joked, leaning on his cane slightly. He never seemed to go without it, and Mabel was starting to wonder if he actually needed it.

“Oh, yes,” Mabel blushed slightly, not sure what she could even say to explain this right now, “well I just thought you’d like them more than nothing.”

“Darling, what is so important that you always spend your time away from me?” Gideon asked behind her, making Mabel groan a little and duck her head so she wouldn’t have to look at Bill. His expression had grown a bit from amused to irritated, but Mabel wasn’t able to see it.

“Mr. Gleeful, like I said I was just heading out for a little while,” Mabel tried to say, awkwardly holding the bouquet in her hands as she felt Gideon’s hand on her shoulder. It was almost instantly shrugged off, but it was still there for a brief second.

“Is it alright if I come in for a moment, Miss Pines? I could really do with a cup of tea.” Bill spoke, kindly asking permission but also taking a step forward. Mabel nodded, taking a step back and nearly falling into Gideon because he was so close. 

Handing Gideon his flowers back, Mabel hastily fanned out her skirts once more just to make sure that it was perfect before she went back to the living room, getting a cup of tea. She had no problems pouring Gideon one as well, wondering just what was going to happen now.

“Mr. Gleeful, like I was saying, I was just about to head out for a walk in the park with Mr. Cipher.” Mabel said handing Bill and Gideon their teacups. “I’m afraid we must cut this surprise visit of yours short.”

“How is it any surprise that I want to spend time with the lovely young woman I’m courting?” Gideon said, setting down the tea almost as soon as it had been handed to him. Mabel shook her head, really wishing she had Waddles still.

“I gave you a chance, I’m not sure that was a good idea right now if you won’t understand boundaries.” Mabel took a step back, feeling a bit suffocated now that Bill and Gideon seemed intent in glaring at each other.

“Funny, she didn’t mention anything about you when I asked her for on a walk.” Bill sipped his tea, even though the cup was still steaming and was obviously too hot to drink comfortably.

“She doesn’t really have to explain anything to you, does she?” Gideon snapped, even though that made Mabel give an unlady like snort and get a couple looks from the men.

“This visit is going splendidly. I have absolutely no regrets right now.” Mabel looked between the two men, who looked ready to call a duel over her hand. All she had been looking forward to was a walk in the park and getting to know Bill just a little more.

“Mabel, darling, why did you even agree to him courting you?” Gideon asked, setting the tea down and Bill copying him almost immediately. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

“I can take care of her a lot more than you can, that’s for sure.” Bill snapped, arms firmly crossed across his chest.

“Who says I need someone to take care of me?” Mabel asked, now completely certain that she was being completely ignored. At this point, she wasn’t sure that she wanted anything to do with these men.

“I’ve known Mabel for years, I know everything about her. You don’t even know what you’re doing. She doesn’t even have interest in you, she’s just pitying you.” Gideon snapped, face starting to turn red with the insults that were already starting to fly. 

Mabel sighed, calling for her maid to set out a day dress upstairs for her. She most certainly wasn’t going anywhere with Bill or Gideon, not when they were behaving like a bunch of buffoons and cared more about their argument than her.

“If you two won’t respect the fact that you’re guests in my home, then you can leave.” Mabel crossed her arms, for once color rising in her cheeks in a sharp blush. Both men still ignored her, looking themselves over and sizing up what the next insult would be.

“Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Ford!” Mabel called loudly, done with this, face burning in shame at the antics and close to throwing them out herself.

“Wait, Mabel-”

“Miss Pines-”

“No!” Mabel cut them off, slashing her arm in the air as though that would actually cut off their words. “You two are busy arguing, you seem to forget why you’re here. How dare you dissolve into an argument while you are guests in my home. How dare you treat me with such disrespect, both of you.”

Mabel sent them both sharp looks, already hearing Dipper and her uncles starting to make their way towards them. She liked actually having the chance to lecture someone, knowing that she was in the right and that they were both going to listen to her.

“For some reason you both have decided to court me, with intentions of me making a decision. Yet you both come into my home, disrespect me, even knowing that with my decision comes marriage and I will be the lady of your household. How can you actually come into my home and say such things? You can come back when you have both learned some respect.”

Waving her hands dismissively, both men were staring at her shocked, Gideon actually seeming surprised that she had spoken to him in such a way, and with Bill staring down at her as though he never thought anyone would ever speak to him like that.

Turning harshly on her heel, Mabel’s heart was beating quickly at the confrontation, her cheeks still had a flush to them, and some of her hair was already coming loose. The sad thing was, she had actually been looking forward to going out, but now the experience would be tainted with the fight that had almost broken out in her living room.

Yet before she could even take a step forward, fingers wrapped around her wrist, not the fat fingers of Gideon but the slender fingers of Bill, who had held her gently before when they had their first dance. Now they weren’t so gentle, still seeming to hold the heat of the tea that immediately seeped into her skin, and tight enough to where Mabel knew she wouldn’t be able to get away anytime soon.

“Ma-”

“Mabel, what’s going on?” Stanley asked before coming in, just in time to open the door from the other room and see Bill’s hand snap out and wrap around her wrist and cut off any words he was about to speak. 

Tearing her wrist out of his grip, and now with bright red marks there to show where Bill had grabbed her. Whatever sense of pride she had quickly left the room, with Mabel holding her hand against her chest and the men of her family rushing into the room like the devil himself was there.

“I told you he was no good! Get out of this house, Cipher!” Stanley screamed, and Gideon didn’t even wait, rushing out of the house with a hurried goodbye to Mabel.

“Now, Stanley wa-” Stanley rushed forward, grabbing Bill’s collar and shoving him against the wall. Bill didn’t seem to be able to get one word in edgewise today, every time he tried to even speak someone ended up cutting him off.

“Grunkle Stan!” Mabel cried out, rushing forward and grabbing her uncle’s arm. “Stop this! Right now!”

Bill reached up, grabbing Stanley’s arm. With a quick flick of his wrist and some hand movements, Mabel was placed behind him and Stanley’s arm was nowhere near him. Bill’s face showed only anger, with the day, the situation, and everything that had happened. The only thing that kept him from attacking was how he could feel Mabel’s fingers gripping the back of his jacket, probably more afraid that he would hurt her rather than anything else.

“I’m leaving now. Miss Pines, I’m sorry for my actions today.” Bill stated firmly, his voice barely controlling his emotions just barely hiding underneath the surface.

“Mr. Cipher-”

“Leave, now.” Stanford finally snapped, giving Mabel a brief glimpse of what Bill had felt like all day. Bill hesitated before he gave an awkward nod, hand reaching behind him to pry Mabel’s hands off his jacket.

Not saying another word, Bill straightened his jacket, looked back at Mabel and giving her a nod and moving on for a moment later. His cane was hooked over his arm, his hat was fixed, and he was the picture of poise as he left the house as if he was never there in the first place.

Mabel was left leaning against the wall, with her family surrounding her like a piece of glass that needed to be protected. The red marks from Bill grabbing her had already faded to nothing, and now she was completely sure she would never see Bill Cipher again.


	10. Arguements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to ja-e-muffin-art-dump because they did some amazing art for this fic!! Go and check it out!
> 
> http://ja-e-muffin-art-dump.tumblr.com/post/154183798504/d-o-n-e-xd-i-spent-so-much-time-geting-their

One day. That’s all it took for the papers and tabloids to hear about what happened in her house. Mabel was upset enough to fire all of her staff for not being able to keep her home life a secret. People who knew they would be working for upper class knew they would be paid for silence and discretion, and as far as Mabel was concerned, they had violated that confidentiality.

“Mabel, don’t you think you’re being a bit...excessive?” Dipper had asked when Mabel had refused another servant. They were screening through the applicants, and because most of them would be working personally with Mabel, she got the final say.

“Not one bit,” Mabel said instead as a reply, looking down at the papers she had written. Sure, a lot of her anger was going through this, but she had no problems letting it out this way.

“Mabel…” Dipper said more in a warning, but he had no words to say once Mabel gave him a sharp glare. She hardly ever got angry, but when she did, she was a force to be reckoned with.

“Unless you’re about to tell me that you are the reason why the papers knew everything that went on, then I don’t want to hear it.” Mabel stated, standing up. Her papers were useless. “I am meant to have a maid I can trust, and that obviously wasn’t the last one. We’re paying them well for their silence, but that isn’t something they thought. I need to go out on a walk.”

“I’ll go with you.” Dipper tried to stand, but Mabel simply brushed him off. She had enough of hovering, she had enough of being watched, she had enough of everything.

“I swear if I don’t get a moment outside of this house and away from all of you hovering, I will do something I regret,” Mabel snapped, a bit harsher than she intended, but it immediately made Dipper sit back down. “I just need to go for a walk.”

One day. One day that got out of hand and Mabel was dragged through the mud of every news reporter saying she didn’t know how to run a household. She was allowed to do so little in life, and the one thing she was expected to be good at, it was denied from her. At this point, with seeing how both Bill and Gideon reacted, she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to hear from them again.

For everything she had been through, at least Dipper only nodded and allowed her to slip on a shall to head out. She had to find a new butler, she had to find new maids, and she had to do so much more just to run a household. All she had to do was actually find someone who was willing to keep a secret and not mess everything up. Though she could easily mess this up by just going outside by herself.

There were just so many rules, so many expectations all of the time. At least when she was married, she really wouldn’t have to worry about all of this. Married women had more social standing than unmarried women, but they still weren’t given as many liberties as men. It was just meant to be about accepting her place, but she had the hardest time doing that.

People gave her sideways glances as she walked, but Mabel paid them no mind. She didn’t care what they thought, or what the newspapers would say in the morning. As much as she didn’t want to face it, and as much as Stanley hid the morning paper from her, she knew her chances of finding someone else as a match were dwindling.

Any other thoughts she had went flying out of her head as she suddenly crashed into someone, making her almost fall back onto the hard ground below her. She would have fallen, if it hadn’t been for the hand grabbing her arm and a mumbled apology. The last person she expected to see was an old flame, one that looked even more awkward standing there in front of her. 

“It's lovely to see you, Miss Pines, but I'm afraid I must go.” He spoke in a rush, the accent unmistakeable. Mermando had shared his first kiss with her, and Mabel was delighted to see him once more. 

“Oh, it's alright. It's been such a long time since I've seen you. How are you?” Not even giving him a chance to get away, Mabel linked their arms together. Mermando would have to actually say if he was uncomfortable with her, because she wasn't letting him go anytime soon. 

“Ah, I just returned to this area. What with my prior engagement.” Mermando paused, hesitantly leading her through the park. It wasn't anything grand, but at least it was a nice day out. 

“I'm surprised you didn't call on me! I missed you dearly, it would have been nice to see you again.” She wasn't even being subtle about it. Why hadn't Mermando called upon her? When she was little, they sent letters back and forth until he revealed he was engaged. Yet he had just said that it was prior. Was he not interested in her?

“I heard about the courtships you have going on, I didn't mean to intrude.” The words were said in a rush, and even thinking about other things, Mabel still heard the implications. 

“I'm not engaged, Mermando, you could have called on me.” Mabel whispered, more upset now than ever. Bill Cipher hadn't said one word to her since he left her home, and yet he was still manipulating her life from a distance. 

“Oh, well, you know how things go…” He trailed off awkwardly, waving his hand. “I best be going then. Have a good day.”

Without even a proper bow, Mermando shot off as though the devil himself was on his heels. After everything, a fight at her house, the courtships that were more than likely cancelled, and the tabloids, Mabel felt ready to scream. Bill Cipher. The name haunted her, as though she wouldn't be able to hide, even in her dreams. 

It simply wasn't fair. Gideon or Bill. If Bill rejected her and took himself out of the running, then Mabel would have no choice but Gideon. No other men would join whatever competition this was with Gideon and Bill constantly at each other's throats, and with Bill’s intimidation tactics. Either way, at this point it seemed like she was either with Gideon for a match, or with Bill. 

<hr>

“You have a visitor.” Jonah stepped into Bill’s study without a knock, making Bill honestly consider just getting new staff in general. “Time for you to stop this moping about and talk to someone.”

“I'm not moping,” Bill snapped, looking up at Jonah, who seemed too smug for his own good. “Send them away.”

“I would, but you need to talk to someone, and this guest is quite persistent. Absolutely refused to leave unless she can talk to ‘that man.’ She has quite a colorful vocabulary.” Jonah’s smug smile only grew as Bill had the dawning realization of who was downstairs. He sighed, tugging at his gloves to make sure they were perfect before he rose from his seat.

“If I go down there and see Gleeful, I will fire you on the spot.” Bill felt underdressed, not in his finery or anything like his normal clothing. He was dressed casually, day clothing that normally wouldn't be seen by most people. 

“I'm okay with that, I heard that her family fired their whole staff, and she's looking for replacements who can actually keep secrets.” Jonah held the door open for Bill, watching the man run a hand through his hair to try to calm it down. Bill grunted a little at the explanation, not expecting anything less from her. 

“Give her a couple recommendations then.” Bill had been through too much with Jonah to let him go so easily, as the man knew too many secrets. “Did she seem upset?”

“Greatly upset,” Jonah was really too chipper for Bill’s liking, “and nearly caused quite a scene until I told her I would get you. I'm sure you'll do what's needed.”

It wouldn't have been okay for Jonah to outright tell Bill to do what was right. Jonah had done too much already, knew too much, but sometimes he managed to stay within his social boundaries. 

Sighing once more, and taking the extra effort to fix his hair and make sure he looked somewhat decent, Bill got a nod of approval from Jonah before he walked in. At first, he didn't see her, since his eyes went right to the couch where guests normally waited. She was walking though, staring at his parlor and the collection of items he had. When he wasn't in his study, he was more often than not in the parlor, wasting away the hours. The servants constantly kept a fire going just for him. 

“Well, this is unexpected, but who do I owe the pleasure of this visit to?” Bill asked, wishing he had his cane to lean against but instead his hands just found their way into his pockets. “I wouldn’t touch that.”

She had been about to touch a decorative, but rather sharp, dagger he kept on display. As soon as he spoke the warning she pulled back, hands falling to her side. Now, with him standing there, they both seemed awkward, unable to form words.

“Mr. Cipher,” Mabel started, moving to take a seat where she could seem steady, but she simply looked awkward. Bill took a seat across from her, in one of the plush chairs that was one of his favorites. “What was your intentions with all of this? What did you even hope to gain?”

He had to think carefully, because there were a thousand different answers he could give. He wanted to annoy Gideon, he wanted to annoy her family. He wanted revenge, or that he wanted to actually get to know her better. Bill had no idea what he could say, because they were all true, in a way.

“What is it you want to hear?” Bill leaned his head on his hand, ever the perfect image of regality. “Do you want to hear that I’ve planned this all? That it was all some trick?”

Might as well cut her loose while he had a chance. If the tabloids hadn’t completely destroyed her by now. Bill had a feeling that Jonah was hiding the articles that really had everything about Mabel. Her face pinched a little at his words, but then hardened, and Bill was reminded of the woman who stared him down while they were playing poker.

“I want to know what you want from me, if this courting meant anything, or if you have ruined my reputation for no reason.” Mabel snapped, hands balling into fists. “Was this just entertainment for you to pass the time?”

“At first, yes.” Bill sighed, ignoring the way her gaze went into her lap and she actually looked hurt by that. “It was entertainment, it was just meant to be nothing, but I have to admit, you’re fascinating, and I wanted to get to know you better.”

“You wanted to get to know me better, so you ruin my reputation? You and Gideon decide to harass me at home?” Mabel asked, her shoulders bunched together. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The way that he stared at her though, the way that he seemed so confident with everything that he did, she had no doubt that he hadn’t planned this. He was telling the truth, he hadn’t planned to actually have feelings for her other than just amusement.

“Well, the incident with Gleeful was a surprise.” Bill said, tugging at his gloves once more. “I hadn’t planned on that, nor did I plan on that argument. I actually was looking forward to a nice walk in the park.”

For a long moment, she didn’t say anything, simply staring down at her hands as they clenched, then unclenched, and did the whole process all over again. Bill had no doubt that if she felt more comfortable, she would be giving him a lecture for hours about his decisions.

“My season is about to end, and then I’m meant to decide on a husband. I’m not even the one who’s meant to decide, but my uncle’s are too close to me to decide for me. Because of your actions, and Gideon’s, you two are the only men who have expressed any interest in me.” She took a deep breath.

Bill didn’t say anything for a long while. He simply looked at her, watching as she eventually raised her gaze to stare up at him, almost glaring. Bill couldn’t really blame her at this point for what had happened, though he did feel a spark of pity go through him.

“Despite what you may think, I do actually want to get to know you better. Though when you do get home, you should ask your family what problem they have with me.” Bill watched her glare soften slightly into a normal frown. “I don’t know whatever made you think you really had a choice.”

“Excuse me?” Mabel’s surprise almost made him laugh, but Bill just barely hid it. He had no idea what he was even doing anymore, but he could hardly stop the words.

“You don’t exactly get a choice in life anymore, I’m the highest winner. I win. I always win.” Bill said, the words pouring out, Mabel’s jaw dropping open in surprise for just a moment, before she recovered.

“...You can try to save face all you want, and insist that you don’t care, but I know you do.” Mabel stood up with a flourish. “I have met cruel men in my time, Mr. Cipher, and already I know that a lot of the rumors spoken about you are not true. Perhaps, if you just relaxed and tried not to push everyone into a corner, you would see that not everyone is out to get you.”

He was left sitting there as she walked away from him as though nothing mattered, even though he knew he had shaken up her world in a way that couldn’t be fixed, and that she wouldn’t be happy as his wife. Yet he knew she wouldn’t be happy with Gideon as well, and maybe that’s what motivated him to force her to make a choice. He wanted to see who she would pick, even if he was hoping it would be him. 


	11. Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a LOT of requests to continue...so here you go!

Gideon or Bill? Gideon or Bill? It was a question that haunted her as she walked home from Cipher’s place, refusing a carriage and tired of the day already. She had her future all planned out for her by people she didn’t care about, in a way that she would never enjoy. If she married Bill, he could be cruel, and controlling, and he could very well just make her life a living hell. Gideon, she did know him, but he could be controlling at times, and he never seemed to have her best interest at heart, and he couldn’t even seem to accept the fact that she just wanted to be friends.

She couldn’t decide, she _wouldn’t_ decide. Stan and Ford would understand if she didn’t want to pick anyone, wouldn’t they? They would, but Mabel would lose all of her friends, she would be forced to stay at home, and Mabel wasn’t sure she could live in that kind of life. What could she do? She either married Bill or married Gideon, and she couldn’t decide between the two of them.

She had no idea what to do. The Pines family was gaining stature by the day, their company growing and flourishing. If Mabel didn’t chose a husband, she would cause an endless amount of rumors as to why she hadn’t married. It was her duty, after all, to find a husband and settle down.

Her family would always love her, but could she stand being a burden like that to them? She wanted to say that her brother and uncles could suffer through it, they had been through worse and they would live through this as well. 

It sounded so harsh though, Mabel realized. She was in a bad position so she forced her family into it as well? Yet she had no idea if she could suffer through the rest of her life married to someone who didn’t care for her? She had grown up hoping that she could marry someone she loved, hoping that she could pour all of her love and affection to her husband. 

It just didn’t seem like it was meant to be.

She finally reached home, exhausted from walking and her skin a bit darker than before because of the sunlight, but Mabel couldn’t find it in herself to care. She was going to get married, either to Bill or to Gideon, who should she care what others might think of her?

Stepping inside was a strange sight, Gideon and her brother glaring at each other from opposite sides of the room. Dipper didn’t seem happy to see her, looking more irritated than anything else, while Gideon stood up to greet her.

“Mabel, darling.” Gideon came over, pressing a kiss against her cheek and ignoring the way she recoiled from him. Dipper stood, standing between his sister and Gideon to act as a barrier.

“I’m really getting sick of you not understanding boundaries.” Mabel muttered, finally taking the time to take off her gloves and relax. “I’m not in the mood for company, right now, please see yourself out.”

“Darling, you don’t have to pretend anymore! It’s okay.” Gideon took her hand reassuringly, not even seeming to notice how she tore her hand away from him. “I’ve told your brother.”

“Told him what?” Mabel asked carefully, dread pooling in her stomach. “I’m not pretending, what is going on here?”

“Gleeful.” Dipper spoke up, still standing between Gideon and Mabel. “Has told me that you have accepted his proposal for marriage and accepted his gifts.”

“Excuse me?” Her voice was so sharp that it even made her brother take a step back. “I have done no such thing, where are you getting this from, Gideon?”

He seemed upset over her reaction, until he heard that she used his first name and instantly the smile was back on his face. Mabel crossed her arms, hands clenched into fists and trying to figure out just where he had gotten this idea.

“You accepted my gifts.” Gideon offered, almost weakly. “I thought that meant…”

“What gifts? I haven’t been getting any…” Mabel drifted off for a second, looking behind her at the parcels that had stacked up by the fireplace. She had thought they were from Bill, but it seemed as though she was wrong.

“Take them back then, I don’t want them, and I most certainly don’t want to marry you.” Mabel gestured behind her at the gifts that had only been opened, never touched. “You have no respect for me or the boundaries that I’ve placed, or social standing as well. You send me jewelry and fine clothing, knowing I can’t accept it, and now you come into my house and assume that I’m going to marry you? What is wrong with you?”

“Oh, just admit it already! You’re going to chose me over Cipher any day now, why am I forced to wait here while you take your time?” Gideon asked instead, crossing his arms once he saw the presents he had painstakingly picked out for Mabel still sitting by the door. “Why draw out your season when it’s about to end?”

Mabel recoiled as though she had been struck, almost every good thought about Gideon going out the window as he spat such hateful words. He unwound his arms from around his chest only to clench his fists, and Mabel had never feared being struck by him before but now it was there.

“Mr. Gleeful.” Mabel started, still slightly standing behind her brother. “Consider this your dismissal. I will never marry you, I have no desire to marry you, and you should leave now. Take your things with you.”

He seemed surprised, yet he had no time to question her words or even argue with them. Mabel pulled her brother out of the room and telling the small staff that they had to make sure that Gideon left with the presents he had tried to give Mabel.

Mabel sat down at the dining room table as she heard Gideon slam the door shut behind him, and Mabel called out an order for the servants to throw out the items he had left behind, or to even keep them if they wanted, as long as they were out of her house so she would never have to see them again.

Dipper came back barely a minute later with their uncles trailing after them, all of them concerned over Mabel who sat too calmly at the table. She had one choice left with what she wanted to do, but she had no idea how she was going to tell her family.

“Are you okay?” Ford placed his hand on her shoulder, knowing his niece was more than likely okay but still wanting to make sure. She had been through worse than a man who didn’t understand boundaries.

“I’m going to accept Cipher’s proposal.” Mabel said after a moment of silence, reaching up and putting her hand over Ford’s on her shoulder. “I went and talked to him today.” 

“You talked to him? Alone?” Stanley took the seat next to her as Ford pulled back, his expression unreadable but still causing guilt to bubble up in Mabel. 

“Unlike Gideon, Bill actually asked me.” Mabel confessed. It hadn’t been nice, and he had expected it, but at least he hadn’t jumped to conclusions and just assumed that she was going to marry him. Mabel brushed off any other thoughts of protest.

“Are you sure about this, Mabel?” Dipper asked instead, unsure if he could talk his sister out of this. 

“Not at all, but it’s what I want.” Mabel reassured. “I love you all, but this is really what I want.”

It really wasn’t, and she had a feeling they all knew it. They knew it the same way that they knew hadn’t exactly asked Mabel to marry him, but none of them could think of anything to say that might make her change her mind. Mabel always knew she would have to get married one day, but none of them thought it would be to Bill Cipher of all people.

* * *

“Two visitors in one day, aren’t you popular.” Jonah remarked sarcastically, bringing in a steaming cup of Bill’s favorite tea. “I poisoned it, by the way, for how you talked to Miss Pines.”

Bill rolled his eyes, not touching the tea even though he was sure that Jonah really didn’t poison his tea. He quietly wondered if he had been too rough on Mabel earlier, but he couldn’t very well go back and change the past.

“Who is it now?” Bill asked. Jonah raised an eyebrow, shaking his head slightly at the antics of his employer. 

“Gleeful. He’s very angry, by the way, something about how you cheated him-”

The door to Bill’s study slammed open, revealing an angry, red faced Gideon Gleeful. He was panting slightly, small items clutched in his fat hands. Jonah stepped aside to wave in Gideon, still staying close so that he could listen in on the conversation. Gideon stormed in, throwing down small jewels and other items that had been clenched in his hands. 

“You’ve been cheating this whole time! What did you do to her? That’s not my Mabel!” Gideon’s breathing was ragged, panting a bit as though he had just ran the whole way to Cipher’s home. 

“Excuse me?” Bill brushed broken gems off of his papers. They weren’t real, real gems wouldn’t break the moment they hit his desk. “I haven’t done anything to her.”

“She completely rejected me! She says she won’t marry me.” Gideon snapped, looking as though he was going to sit down but then refused to move. He stood stubbornly, as though everything in the world would be solved by him pouting there.

“That might just be because she doesn’t want to marry you?” Bill asked instead. At this point, she might not want to marry Bill, but it had always been obvious that she never wanted to marry Gideon. “I never cheated, Gleeful, I simply saw the cards that you were offering me and played them better.”

“What did you offer her? Whatever it was, I’ll beat it. She’s going to marry me.” Gideon reached over, taking the broken jewels from Bill’s desk as though they were really precious and needed to be protected. 

“I didn’t offer her anything. I’m simply the winner here. I always win.” Bill said easily, brushing off a couple jewels from his desk that Gideon had missed. Gideon easily bent over and picked them up a moment later.

“I’m not giving up so easily.” Gideon snapped. “I’ve done everything right. I’ve given her gifts, I’ve tried to take her out, I’ve tried to court her in the proper way, why isn’t she picking me?”

“I don’t know, and frankly I don’t care.” Bill finally took a sip of the tea that was now too cold for his tastes. “You should leave, and you should respect her wishes. If she doesn’t want to marry you, that’s it.”

“Oh, you really think she wants to marry you then?” Gideon snapped, the spite from his injured pride leaking into his voice. Bill leaned back in his chair, any hope of completing work today shattered.

“I think it’s safe to say that she doesn’t really want to marry either of us.”


	12. Contracts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look me updating regularly for this fic. Better enjoy it!

Mabel Pines took the time out of her day to write out a letter. It was a simple thing, consisting of only two sentences that bore the weight of her entire life. Mabel honestly didn't think she would ever have to write such a letter, and not to a man she had almost grown to despise. 

_ Mr. Cipher, _

_ I accept your proposal. Please contact my great uncles on the status of my dowry.  _

_ Sincerely,  _

_ Mabel Pines  _

A soon to be Mabel Cipher though. It was so humiliating to write those two simple sentences, to admit defeat when she had told Bill that she would never do such a thing. Dipper had wrapped her up in a hug when she finished, sending the letter off to be hand delivered by a servant. This is not the way she thought her life, her marriage would go. 

“For what it's worth, I don't care who he is. Just tell me if he ever hurts you, and I'll come and get you in a heartbeat.” Dipper didn't want this to happen in the first place. Mabel was sure he'd be happier if she just didn't marry. She gave a soft laugh. 

“I don't think he would be the kind to physically hurt me.” Mabel reasoned. 

No, Bill Cipher seemed to fancy mind games and playing with people's lives. It was presumptuous for Mabel to send a letter as she did, but Bill never seemed to care when she took charge, thoygh Gideon would have thrown a fit over it. Just as dust settled and the stars started to shine, there was a knock at the door of a letter sent in reply. 

_ Miss Pines, _

_ Please come and see me at your earliest convenience, that we may talk about this arrangement. Your brother and uncles are welcome to come along if they wish. _

_ Bill Cipher. _

* * *

She was squished between two men who seemed more like mountains compared to her short stature. Even being rather small, Mabel held herself with a sense of dignity that most women couldn't manage, a sense of knowing their own self worth. Bill thought she would need it for when the press came back at their wedding.

“Ah, Miss Pines, I feel like it's been ages since I've seen you.” Bill greeted her first, offering her his hand and gently kissing the back of her hand when she took his. “Come in, come in.”

Bill realized quickly and thankfully that Dipper wasn't with them, more than likely overseeing the work that the two older gentlemen were leaving behind to escort Mabel. Bill quickly escorted the family to his study, biting back sarcastic remarks while he could. He didn't need this meeting going south before it even started. 

“Thank you.” Mabel said softly as Bill held out a chair for her. He might not like her uncles but that didn't mean he wasn't going to treat her as a gentleman would. 

“You're very welcome. Now you're here to accept my proposal, aren't you?” Bill didn't bother to hide his vicious smirk. Mabel stared at him, completely unimpressed. 

“Mabel already sent a letter out that she did. Now as for her dowry-” Stanford started, but cut himself off as Bill started talking. 

“I wasn't talking to you, Stanford.” Bill’s tone was sharp, and Mabel looked at him with interest for the first time. He stared at her, waiting patiently.

“Yes.” Mabel said softly. “I accept your proposal.”

He nodded firmly, finally looking at her uncles, who stared at him with nothing short of suspicion. Bill leafed through a couple pages on his desk, whether to actually look for something or to seem more important than he was, Mabel couldn’t tell. 

“I don’t care what her dowry is, I accept it.” Bill eventually said, eyes firmly settling on Mabel. “It’s not important to me, I had my lawyer draw up a marriage proposal, if you’d like to look it over.”

He had a stack of papers, and after straightening them he handed them to her uncles. His eyes were still glued to Mabel though, not looking away from her even as the paperwork was handed off. Mabel’s eyes followed the stack of papers, feeling as though her life was held in just a couple sheets of papers.

“Mabel, are you alright?” Mabel’s eyes snapped to Bill, the use of her first name by him making her stomach turn. Everyone stared at her, waiting for an answer.

“I…” Mabel started, her throat dry. She cleared her throat slightly. “I need a moment.”

Everyone rose as she did, as all gentlemen did, helping her out of her seats. Stan offered her a small comfort that he would read the contract carefully, and try to negotiate in her favor. Mabel nodded slightly, practically running from the room and taking deep breaths in the hallway, wandering without purpose.

He just didn’t seem to care that he was taking so much of her life from her. If she didn’t know any better, Mabel would think he was enjoying what he was doing. Mabel held back tears, hearing footsteps behind her as she ducked into a random room.

It was finer than she expected, with golden silks hanging from the curtains and a canopy bed. There were papers scattered on a nearby desk, with small candles offering a very low amount of light. The footsteps passed by the room, and Mabel was alone.

With a small sense of dread, she realized she was in Bill’s room. Mabel carefully took a step forward, heart calming as she stared at the collection of curios and baubles he had decorating. Whatever wasn’t dressed in gold was dressed in red or even blue. It seemed to fit him.

“For all the rooms I expected you to escape to, I didn’t think this would be one of them.” Bill’s voice sounded behind them, making Mabel jump. Apologies rushed to her lips, but she held them back. This was going to be her house, wasn’t it?

“Is there something you need from me?” Mabel’s voice was sharp, even with the slightest of tremors. Bill shrugged his shoulders.

“Are you that opposed to marrying me?” He actually sounded  _ hurt,  _ like he hadn’t forced her into this situation.

“Yes.” Bill flinched and she almost relished in it. “You and Gideon have successfully managed to back me into a corner, congratulations. Is it hard to believe I’m opposed to marrying a man I know nothing about? A man who doesn’t care about the life he’s tearing away from me?”

“What are you not going to have with me by your side? I can give you anything you want in life, I can provide you with anything your heart desires in life, just say the world and I will do my best to get it for you.” If Bill was sincere, she didn’t believe it, shaking her head. 

“Can you give me love?” Mabel asked. “Can you even look at me as more of an object that you won in a game against Gideon? You won, good for you, but this is not what I planned to do with my life.”

He was silent, either realizing that now wasn’t the time he should defend himself or simply having nothing to say. Mabel refused to look away from him, wanting him to feel defenseless under her stare, like he made her feel. 

“Mabel.” She flinched at the use of her first name. “I came here to see if you were alright, but if you’re so unwilling to accept me into your life and home, to even give me a chance without looking down on me, then maybe this marriage isn’t the best for us.”

Mabel reeled back as though she had been slapped. To think, he would do all this to her, make it known to the press and everyone else in the world that he was pursuing her, then simply back out! Her reputation, it would all go down the drain, she would never be able to marry.

“Do you have no sense about you?” Mabel snapped. “No, you signed yourself up for this, there’s no getting out of it. And you will earn the right to call me your wife when you finally start looking and treating me as such and not someone who means so little to you.”

Self pity was thrown out the window, along with the sorrow. Bill wanted a wife, he would get a wife, and damned if Mabel Pines wouldn’t show him that he made the biggest mistake when he decided to mess with her. 

Sweeping out of the room, the servants outside-who were more than likely listening, Mabel made a note to get Bill a new staff-cowered at her presence, fearing her more than the master of the house. Bill followed after her almost meekly, eyes bright with curiosity. 

“Great Uncle Ford, does the contract look suffice? Is there anything I need to be made aware of before I sign?” Mabel asked as she entered, Stanley and Stanford breaking apart from a heated discussion. 

“Mabel, sweetheart, are you okay?” Stanley asked, but her cheeks had color in them that they hadn’t possessed in weeks, and her eyes were bright. Bill was standing in the doorway, staring at the family in surprise, seeming uncertain in his own home.

“You’re sure this is what you want?” Bill asked quietly, and Mabel actually laughed. She took a pen from his desk, flipping to the last page.

A flourish of a signature was placed, barely legible but that’s just how her signature was. She handed the papers back to Bill, before looking at the servants who had gathered behind him. With one glance from her they all fled, but Bill was staring down at her with not fear or anger, but curiosity.

He signed the papers as well, and they were placed in a part of his desk that Mabel didn’t bother to look at. She felt the rush of adrenaline leaving her, only a sense of dread remaining. Bill didn’t seem to know what to do now, and neither did she.

“We can have the wedding whenever you want, my dear.” Bill let the term of endearment slip out. “This is your home as well, you can start moving your things in.”

Mabel crossed her arms, glancing up at her uncles before she turned away from them. If this was going to be her home now, changes were going to be made before she moved in.

“I want to talk to your head of staff about hiring more trustworthy people, and getting rid of those god awful gold curtains.” Mabel said without thinking, watching Bill carefully for his reaction. For a moment he didn’t do anything, but then laughter bubbled past his lips, and he called for his head of staff.


	13. First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had a terrible day, and need some love. Enjoy the chapter.

News traveled so quickly that Mabel was left reeling in the aftermath. Her impulsive, almost reckless decision was already coming to bite her back, and the ring on her finger felt heavy. 

“The paper arrived, personally I wouldn't recommend reading it though.” Bill sat across from her, somehow managing to look at complete ease in the Pines home. He had come over early in the morning to talk about a couple things with Mabel, and her uncles and unfortunately woken her to take care of him. 

“Let me guess, it's more articles about me, isn't it.” Mabel said dryly. “You never seem to care you're the topic of conversation.” 

Bill laughed lightly. He seemed happier, his shoulders didn't have the slump they used to, he was quicker to laugh. Mabel chalked it up to him relishing in a victory. 

“Might as well give them something to talk about.” He through the paper, wading up an article and throwing it in the trash. “When do you want to have the wedding? You're already changing things about my home.”

“Soon to be my home as well, Mr. Cipher.” Mabel corrected. “I didn't think you'd want to have an actual wedding considering the papers are already signed.”

“It's my duty as a husband to provide, is it not? If you don't want a wedding, I really don't mind.” She laughed, the sound loud and unladylike, but he only seemed amused. “What’s so amusing, Mrs. Cipher?”

The name made the laughter die on her lips, and Bill’s smile was replaced by a frown. Mabel cleared her throat awkwardly, pushing her breakfast around on her plate. Her eggs were too greasy for her tastes. 

“Just didn't picture you for one who believed in subtlety.” Mabel ended up saying. “Thought you'd want a grand wedding.”

Bill hummed, tucking his paper under his arm and standing. The few servants rushed forward to clear the table and clean where he had just left. Mabel rose as well, but Cipher waved a hand dismissively at her. 

“I expect you to move into my house within the week.” Bill said. “Bring whatever you want, whatever you don't bring I'll be able to provide.”

With a small bow he left, only the scraps of food left and a small ball of nervousness in her stomach. Moving in meant consumption and that meant accepting everything that had happened. Dipper came in almost as soon as Bill left, taking his place. 

“There's still time, you don't have to do this.” Dipper placed his hand over her own. “Are you okay?”

Mabel nodded slightly, pulling back from her brother. There wasn't still time, unless Bill decided to end the marriage then she was stuck. She coughed to dislodge the lump in her throat. It didn't help. 

“I'm okay, Dipper. I'm just going to miss it here. This wasn't how I pictured getting married.” Mabel said softly. Her voice was thick with unshed tears. “He doesn't seem like the type to hurt me.”

“You never know. Who he seems to be isn't who he really is. Men hardly act the same behind a closed door than in the public eye.” Dipper warned. Mabel’s stomach turned, and Dipper cursed under his breath. “I just want you to be careful, Mabel.”

“I will be, don't you worry.” Mabel brought her brother in for a hug. It wasn't awkward, it was sorrowful, filled with lost time and love.

* * *

“Miss Pines has sent a letter informing me she will be arriving today.” Jonah said to Bill as he poured the man a cup of tea. Bill arched a brow, willing himself to not look up from his paper. 

“Oh? Then you better make sure the curtains have been changed out.” Bill murmured idly. The curtains had not been changed, thanks to Bill, if only because he wanted to see her reaction when she came to her new home and saw her one order had not been fulfilled. 

“I don't see why you're having us ignore her orders, it's extremely disrespectful. She will be the mistress of the house, and the one running the house while you're not here or busy with your work.” Jonah reprimanded. “Always trying to get a rise out of her, aren't you?”

“She's a delight when she's mad.” Bill chuckled slightly. His hands were a little tense as they gripped the paper he was pretending to read. 

“That doesn't mean you always have to be the one to make her mad. You're her husband now, not her enemy. At least try to make her happy here.” Jonah added sugar and lemon to the tea until it was just the way Bill liked it. As he finished, there was a ringing of a bell, signaling a new arrival. 

“That must be her.” Jonah sighed. “Are you going to greet her?”

Bill was already standing, paper folded on his desk. The least he could do was greet his wife, wasn't it? He wanted to see her, anyways. 

She stood in the hallway, a couple bags behind her and more being taken out of the carriage. Mabel stared at him with an irritated look, arms crossed over her chest. Bill smiled, already expecting a lecture. 

“Why is it that the one thing I asked for is not done?” Mabel asked, almost sounding more disappointed than angry. Bill raised his shoulders in a shrug. 

“I'll have your things brought to our room.” Bill said instead. Jonah immediately moved to take her bags, which Mabel sent him a grateful smile for. 

“Are you going to let me run this household, or am I merely here as a decoration?” Mabel asked, completely serious. Bill’s face dropped, even Jonah dropped one of her bags. There was no anger in her voice, only quiet disappointment and acceptance. 

“Miss Pines, you can change anything in this house you want to.” Bill waved his hand dismissively. “Whatever you wish. Simply inform Jonah and he will tell me what you need.” 

He turned away before he could see the expression on her face, only able to hear her give a soft thanks to Jonah as he carried her bags. 

‘ _ What a great way to welcome your wife to your home.’  _ Bill thought bitterly. He left the two there, escaping to his study. The lock slid into place easily. 

“Jonah.” Mabel said softly. The servant instantly turned to her, his expression soft. “Is there another room I can stay in?”

“Master Cipher-” Jonah started, but Mabel simply lifted a hand to stop him. 

“I know what he wants. What  _ I  _ want is to have a room that I can stay in, and not be disturbed. Place my things there.” Mabel walked away, not waiting for Jonah to argue. 

The staff was frightened of her, or maybe they were simply avoided her. Mabel grabbed the first maid she laid eyes on, who was trying to scamper past without being noticed. She just about trembled underneath Mabel's gaze. 

“Yes, tell everyone I want all of these windows open and this place aired out. It's ridiculously dark for being such a large home.” Mabel ordered. “That's all.”

As the girl ran down the hall away from her, Mabel understood why Bill never bothered to change his image. She had more people listen to her if she was being frightening than if she was being nice. 

“Mistress, your room is all ready.” Jonah managed to move silently, a trait Mabel envied. She nodded to show she was listening, simply walking for the sake of walking. 

“That's nice. Thank you.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Is he upset with me?”

“Cipher? No, I think you're just not what he was expecting.” Jonah explained. “Why don't I give you a tour and show you where everything is.”

“You mean things my husband should be doing?” Mabel asked, almost bitter. “I suppose I should be grateful he's leaving me be. I've heard so many stories of what men do to their wives on their first night together. I wonder if he'll be kind. The stories are not much to go on.” 

Jonah watched silently as Mabel walked away, seeming without purpose. She escaped into the first door that opened to her, the same parlor she had waited for Bill in not so long ago. A servant came in to light a fire, and left her alone. 

Bill rested his head in his hands with a groan. Why had he wanted this? It was going absolutely  _ splendid  _ at the moment, with his new wife hating him and his staff fearful of her. It seemed he really was responsible for most of her problems. 

There was a knock at the door, before Jonah slid his key in and came inside. He seemed almost disappointed, coming forward and sitting across from Bill. The master of the house said nothing. 

“You need to talk to your wife.” Jonah said. “You hiding away isn't helping. She's scared, and alone.” 

That made Bill’s head snap up. Why was she scared? Was she scared of him? Bill opened his mouth to say something, but Jonah was already speaking. 

“You left her alone here, where the main staff fear her and don't respect her enough to listen to her wishes.” Jonah gave him a pointed look. Bill scoffed slightly. It was his fault, he had told them to ignore her. Jonah was the only one who didn't listen. “She thinks you hate her.”

“I don't hate her.” The declaration was so quick and heated, even Bill flushed when he said it. Jonah arched a brow. 

“Tell her that then. I don't need to hear it, she does.” Jonah stood. “You tied your lives together, you need to show her she's welcome in her new home.”

Bill bit back the retort sitting on his tongue, of how in the world he was going to do that when she wouldn't even talk to him, instead simply nodding. Jonah rose, leaving Bill to his thoughts as he went to attend to his duties instead of babysitting the master of the house. 

“I can make her feel welcome.” Bill said softly. “Can't I?”

* * *

The servants would occasionally come in, tending to the fire and seeing if she needed anything. Mabel didn't glance at them, didn't speak to them. They said soft words to her that went straight through her, not a single vowel sticking. 

Jonah seemed to be the only one who could get a reaction from her, be it one word answers or even a glance. It was unnerving, how she simply stared at the fire as though they were a performance made specifically for her. 

It was night when something got a reaction from her,  small noise and a shuffling of the bottom of her dress that made her glance down in confusion. It was so tiny and pink enough to match the color of her dress, that Mabel almost didn't see it, but when she did the piglet was scooped into her arms with a happy noise from Mabel. 

“Your brother.” Bill said from the doorway, tentatively walking in. “Said that you used to have one as a pet when you were a child. I wondered if you would like another.”

“You talked to Dipper?” Dipper had told Bill about her? The piglet in her arms twisted to get comfortable. 

“I did go to speak with him.” Bill admitted. “He was a bit worried about how you would enjoy life here, and gave me a couple suggestions.” 

“ _ He  _ was worried? Doesn't sound like Dipper to me.” Mabel felt another smile tug at her lips. Bill scoffed lightly. 

“Yes, he was, very much so.” Bill came to sit beside her, leaving space between them. “He hopes you'll be happy here.”

Mabel nodded, gently petting the piglet and some stress gone from her life. Bill wasn't always cruel, maybe he just needed some help in being nicer. 

“It was kind of him.” Mabel said softly. “Thank you.”

Bill’s chest puffed out slightly, a bit of pride that made Mabel’s smile grow. They stayed until the servants finally ushered them to bed, and if Bill thought anything of Mabel retreating into another room, he said nothing of it. 


	14. Outings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever I ask on tumblr what you guys want me to update, it's always this fic, and boy do I love writing it. 
> 
> Also, it was my birthday on the 3rd of May! And as a gift, a couple people drew me art for my fics, which was super great. 
> 
>  
> 
> [Art by sarstar98 on tumblr.](http://sarstar98.tumblr.com/post/160481567187/happy-23rd-birthday-oilux-special-birthday-gift)  
> [Art by ja-e-muffin-art-dump on tumblr](http://ja-e-muffin-art-dump.tumblr.com/post/154504730374/more-proper-places-fanart-just-doodles-really-i)  
> [More art by ja-e-muffin-dump on tumblr](http://ja-e-muffin-art-dump.tumblr.com/post/154183798504/d-o-n-e-xd-i-spent-so-much-time-geting-their)

It was the scandal of the decade. Bill Cipher, the playboy, the man who had never shown interest in another person, let alone a woman, was married. No one had been invited, no one had known the richest man in town was off the market until Bill Cipher himself went into town and people saw the gold band around his finger. 

“You're going to cause a riot.” Mabel had said early in the morning, when Bill sat across from her. When he didn't say anything, she continued. “Does anyone but my family know we're married?”

“Gideon Gleeful, but last I heard he's off galavanting around, trying to…I'm actually not that sure anymore. He's doing something.” Bill flapped a hand dismissively. 

“I hope he has fun then. I know some girl can make him happy, but it's really not me.” Mabel placed the newspaper down. Some articles speculated it was her, since they had danced together, but most didn't place a name or face to the mystery woman. 

Bill hummed in reply, writing something down instead of speaking to her. They had easily settled into a routine in just under a week. Mabel and Bill would meet for breakfast, make small talk, then go about separate business for the day until it was time for dinner. They would have that meal together as well, and then retire for the night in different rooms. Bill never once complained, he actually seemed to enjoy the arrangement more than Mabel. 

“Do you have anything planned for today?” Bill asked when she finished her breakfast. Mabel reached down and scooped her piglet into her arms, allowing the pet to rest in her lap. 

“I'm airing out the rest of this place. Your house is huge, but there's no need for it all to be shut away in darkness.” Mabel smiled. “Why?”

“I was going into town and I wanted you to come with me.” Bill said the words carefully, every syllable falling from his lips with well thought out practice. He seemed relaxed, but there was a tenseness in his shoulders that hadn't been there before. 

“That'd be really nice, I'd love to.” Mabel beamed, unable to contain her glee. Going into town and seeing everyone? Sounded like heaven. The townsfolk weren't afraid of her, and while her staff was slowly warming up to her, they didn't talk to her. 

Bill’s smile was large and genuine, bright from across the table. Mabel felt a blush stain her cheeks as she quickly looked away, mentally chastising herself for the sudden bout of shyness. Her eyes flickered back to Bill as he rose from the table. 

“Just let me know when you're all ready to go, we can leave whenever you want.” Bill said before leaving, hardly a parting word from his lips. Mabel would have stared at where he had been for longer had her pig not moved with restlessness. 

She was almost bouncing in place as she got ready. As excited as she was to leave the house and be out with people, there was also a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. She didn't feel ready to talk to people. 

Her pig, who she had affectionately named Waddles Junior, a much better nickname than what Jonah had given him, ‘Pork’, sat on her bed as she got dressed for the outing. It was one thing to go out, but another matter entirely to travel with her husband. Mabel chose out her finer clothes, though they probably weren't up to the standard that Bill’s own clothes were at. 

“Don't look at me like that.” Mabel scolded Waddles Junior. The pig oinked at her, but didn't make a move. “This will be just fine. I'll be back before you know it.”

The pig snorted this time, his disagreement obvious. Mabel fixed her hair, piling it on top of her head regally, before finally making her way to Bill’s office. He was always there, at least when he wasn't sharing a meal with her. Mabel gently rapped on the door before walking inside. 

“All ready to go?” Bill fixed his bow tie, making sure it sat perfectly at the base of his throat. Carefully, bill turned away from his mirror to glance at her, nodding his approval at her clothing choice. 

“All ready.” Her voice stuck in her own throat when she tried to speak. She cleared her throats immediately. 

“You look perfect. I was going to head into the shops to finalize some deals I have. You can shop all you want while we're there, just don't stray too far.” Bill offers her his arm, which she took gratefully. It offered a quick sense of comfort, knowing she could hold on to him when dealing with something new. 

“Thank you.” Mabel said softly. This would be so much better than staying inside all the time. She was almost radiating excitement. 

“What kind of husband would I be if I didn't spoil my wife?” Bill attempted a joke, but his face fell when she didn't laugh. “Come on now, I'm not that terrible, am I?”

“You could be worse.” Mabel admitted, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I do have a question though.”

“It'll have to wait just a moment then.” Bill gave her hand a pat, the warm cotton of his gloves soothing. 

She blinked and they were walking through town. Mabel hadn't even noticed they left the house, much less that they had walked into town. Still, she rolled with it, nodding to the people they were passing. The townsfolk stared at them in shock, both men and women whispering behind their hands at the couple. 

“Just ignore them. Something else will capture their interest soon enough and our marriage will be the last thing they want to talk about.” Bill murmured to her, lips dangerously close to brushing her ear. Mabel nodded to him, lips pressing in a thin line as they entered the general store. 

“Oh, Miss Pines, it's been so long, I have that yarn you wanted.” The shopkeeper beamed at her, his eyes slowly going over to Bill. The shopkeeper froze, whole body tensing. Bill let go of Mabel’s arm. 

“Yarn?” He asked her quietly. Mabel nodded eagerly. “I'll get it for you, go shop around. And get new clothes pins for the wash.”

Mabel nodded, heading off into a different part of the store. Clothes pins were quickly gathered in her arms, as well as needles and thread and fabrics. She never strayed far from the front counter, wanting to hear what the two discussed in hushed whispers. 

“I'm warning you, Cipher-”

“That is rich. You're warning me about what? Everyone seems to think that I won't do just as I did back then.”

“You've grown soft, we all know it. The town isn't afraid of you anymore.”

Someone slammed their hand down, Mabel flinched at the noise. When neither men spoke for a long moment, Mabel finally came out from hiding, placing her eyes on the counter. The shop keeper was standing firm behind at his post, Bill’s fist angrily balled up. There was a hairline crack on the glass counter underneath Bill’s hand. 

“I think it's time for both of you to leave.” The shopkeeper said. Mabel’s mind frantically tried to remember his name, but came up with nothing. 

“We'll pay for our items and leave.” Bill fished his wallet out of the pocket of his jacket, but the shopkeeper waved his hand, movements jerky and forced.

“Get out of my shop.”

Mabel reached out a hand, placing a hand on Bill’s arm, taking a step back. The silence between the two men was heavy, but then the shopkeeper moved, reaching behind him and slashing quickly. Mabel barely pushed Bill out of the way, her husband landing hard on the ground as blood sprayed. Mabel gasped, stumbling back and wiping blood off her cheeks. 

The shopkeeper was breathing heavily, a small knife clutched in his hands as Bill groaned on the ground. Mabel stared at him, just as he stared at her, before he waved the knife dangerously close to her face. Unlike when she got close to Bill, it didn’t make contact with her flesh.

“Get out.” 

Mabel knelt down, yanking Bill to make him rise. Bill had a hand clutched over his face, blood leaking through his fingers as they stumbled out of the general store and into the street. He leaned heavily against her, until someone else came along and helped carry his weight.

“What happened?” The man, someone Mabel didn’t know, asked.

“The shopkeeper, he attacked Bill.” Mabel gasped out, refusing to let go of Bill. “Please, help him.”

* * *

“If you don’t get the fuck away from me right now, I will grab that needle and shove it in your eye.” Bill snarled to the doctor, who only sighed. Mabel sat down next to her husband, using a damp cloth to wipe the blood away from Bill’s face.

“Bill, you will let this doctor stitch you up right now.” Mabel snapped, her husband huffing a sigh but settling down. “Is he going to be okay?”

“He’s going to lose his eye, that’s for sure.” The doctor sighed heavily while Bill whined and hissed at the pain he was in. “Miss Pines, are you hurt at all.”

“Mrs. Cipher.” Mabel corrected. “I’m not in pain at all, he threatened me, but that was it. I had Jonah call the police, they should be there any minute.”

Bill looked away from the doctor, staring at Mabel. Half of his face was swollen, a large gash going from his hairline down his eye and across his cheek. Mabel’s face softened, reaching out and taking his free hand. 

“I’m going to ruin that man.” Bill muttered, giving her hand a squeeze. Mabel laughed a little, tossing away the old, bloody rag, and taking a clean one to continue to clear away the blood. 

The doctor pulled back, wiping his hands clean and putting his tools away. Mabel brushed hair out of Bill’s face, pulling her hand back when he winced in pain. She thanked the doctor, telling him that Jonah would have his money. 

“Do you want to tell me why that man felt the need to attack you?” Mabel asked softly. Bill pulled his hand back, shaking his head.

“I don’t need to tell you everything.” Bill sighed, moving and trying to rise from his chair. Mabel blinked, not expecting the immediate shut down, pulling back. 

“He slashed your face open, making you lose your eye.” Mabel stood, brushing her hands along the folds of her skirt and the stress of the day weighing down on her shoulders. “People are so scared of you that they’ll try to kill you before they let you leave? Do I need to invest in protection?”

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Mabel didn’t look at him, but his voice was firm, an edge of desperation to it. Mabel scoffed slightly, shaking her head. 

“I suppose a good wife is truly meant only for show. Take her out to town to prove that she’s not hurt, that you’re not abusing her. Just let me know when you’re ready to go out again.” Mabel waved a hand dismissively at him, turning on her heel. 

“Mabel-”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’ll go and talk to Jonah and make sure that he knows about this situation. He told me that he’d be more than happy to take me into town whenever he wanted, but I guess that’s not going to be okay anymore.” 

Mabel completely froze as she felt Bill’s arms wrap around her, an awkward and tense hug as he leaned heavily against her. His skin was hot to the touch, his hands grasping her own as neither spoke for a long time. Mabel was content to stand there, supporting his weight for as long as he needed.

“I don’t have to tell you all of my secrets, but you should know that I will always do my best to protect you. I’ll make sure nothing ever happens to you.” Bill murmured quietly. “I will always do my best to make sure you are never harmed.”

Mabel smiled, turning in his hold and helping her husband to bed. He sighed when he laid down, looking more like he had been through a war than he had been attacked with a knife. Mabel gave him a soft smile, leaving him to rest.

Mabel washed the dried blood from her hands in the sink, a sense of dread in her stomach. It was hard, trying to keep in shuddering gasps. Her heart felt heavy, like a weight had been placed on it from the last time she had been in the kitchen. 

Jonah placed a hand on her shoulder, and Mabel almost collapsed at his touch. She couldn’t get the image of Bill’s face out of her head, she couldn’t stop imagining him lying on the ground with blood leaking between his fingers.

“Jonah,” Mabel gasped, “what does he do? Am I always going to have to worry about him?”

Jonah gave her shoulder a pat, moving back when Mabel got control of herself, her shuddering breaths finally coming to a stop. He ushered her into the other room, having her sit down in one of Bill’s large, plush chairs. When she sat down, the smell of spices and cinnamon rose to greet her, reminding her once more of Bill. 

“The short answer, yes. He’s always going to have you worrying over him.” Jonah took her hand in his own. “He’s always getting himself into some mess, and he’s going to need you to make sure he doesn’t do anything worse. He does care about you though, you can trust that.”

Mabel’s lips pressed into a thin line, not speaking until Jonah finally left. Even then, her words were unintelligible, as she left the soft chair to go and sit by her husband's side until he woke up.

If Bill was going to do everything he could to protect her, then she would do everything to protect him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to stay updated on this AU? Want to ask questions to the author herself? Remind me to update? [Click here](http://oilux.tumblr.com/) to stay in the loop!


	15. Strange Visits

The twisting scar along Bill’s face made him more threatening than before. It was a long white line across his skin, to a once bright blue eye that was now white and lifeless. Mabel had tended to it, cleaning it multiple times a day so he wouldn't get sick. 

“Dear god, woman, I'm not a child!”

If only someone had warned her that Bill Cipher was a child. 

Mabel rolled her eyes, pressing the damp cloth harder against his skin. He hissed in pain, but didn't move away from her touch. Every person in the house besides Jonah and herself were afraid of Bill. His injury had made him temperamental to say the least, often snapping at the staff for small mistakes. 

“You are injured and refuse to take care of yourself. If you did this, then I wouldn't have to.” Mabel sang, only pulling back when the wound was clean. It was healing nicely, in a day or two she wouldn't have to worry. “You're scaring the staff with how much you yell at them.”

“Good.” Bill, crossed his arms. “They should be scared of me.”

“Should I be scared of you?” Mabel returned, placing the bloody rag into the water dish. Bill’s eyes snapped to her, and Mabel almost flinched at the lifeless white eye staring at her. 

“Yes.” Bill said, the bitterness disappearing from his tone. “You should.”

Mabel hummed, pretending to be absorbed in collecting her things, as she always did. Bill’s eyes never left her, not until she moved and rose to look at him. Steeling herself, Mabel leaned over and pressed a soft kiss above his injured eye. Bill froze underneath her, lips parting in shock as Mabel gathered her things. 

“It's a terrible thing, when a wife fears her husband. It's a good thing that it's not happening here.” 

Mabel left the room without glancing back, but she could feel his gaze boring into her until the door clicked softly behind her.

* * *

It was well into the afternoon when a letter arrived. Mabel was washing up for supper, wondering if she should go and check on Bill again. He had been holed up in his study all day, refusing to come down for meals. Mabel had left him alone after she kissed him, figuring it might be the cause of his pouting. 

There was a fast, rapid knocking at the door. Mabel twisted to see who it was, but none of the servants were near. With a sigh, she moved to answer the door. The man standing on the other side looked like he had just discovered what color was, covered in head to toe in colors Mabel had no idea they could make into fabric. The man presented an envelope, which Mabel took without question. Then, without uttering a word, the man left. 

Mabel shook her head at the strangeness. The paper was heavy in her hands, delicate cursive addressing the letter to Bill. Mabel wasn't surprised by that, since she had started living with Bill she had received no mail. 

“Bill?” Mabel said softly, knocking at the door of his study. Bill brushed blond bangs out of his face, his scarred eye covered by an eyepatch. “Why are you covering your eye? Does it hurt?”

Mabel placed his letter on his desk, reaching out and brushing her fingers along the still healing cuts. Bill reaching up and pulled her hand away, shaking his head. In a quick movement, he pressed a soft kiss against the back of her palm. Mabel almost didn’t feel it.

“It doesn’t hurt. What’s wrong?” Bill turned his gaze to the desk, where she had placed his letter on. “Ah.”

“It just arrived, and I can’t seem to find any of the servants. You really do scare them away, don’t you?” Mabel teased. Bill didn’t react, breaking the wax seal on the letter. “Bill?”

He didn’t reply, pressing his hand against his mouth. Mabel took the chance to look at him, truly look at her husband. In the last couple days they had grown close, as they had to when she was tending a wound. Mabel watched as he gnashed his teeth together, jaw clenching. 

“Well, I don't know what I expected from him.” Bill finally muttered. “It seems as though we'll be entertaining guests soon.”

Mabel felt a rush of excitement go through her. She hadn't been around anyone but Bill and the staff since he was injured, and it wasn't like her to be shut in. Bill looked up at her, the hard lines of his face softening. 

“An old...acquaintance? I actually don't know how to refer to him, he's a strange man, will be coming the day after tomorrow. He's an old business partner of mine, Theodore Strange. Though he likes to be called Tad.” Bill ran a hand through his hair, ruining it from its perfectly held form. “He probably just wants to meet you.”

Mabel laughed a little at that. “Maybe he's just making sure you're not dead. Jonah tells me half the town is celebrating your demise.”

It was teasing, but Bill’s face pinched and hardened again. Mabel's smile immediately dropped. Tension laid heavy and thick between them, forcing words from Mabel's throat. She always hated silence. 

“You never did tell me what you do for work, what is it? I know you worked with my uncles a little.” Mabel brought a chair close, sitting next to him. He had asked her once why she didn't sit across from him, and she had shrugged and not replied. 

“It's nothing important.” Bill flapped a hand. “Rather boring really, I'm a middleman of sorts. I find what people want and give it to them at a fee.”

“When you describe it like that, it does sound boring.” Mabel admitted. “What did my uncles ask for?”

Bill paused, turning his gaze to her, examining her like she had asked him what color the sky was. When she didn't say anything, Bill let out a low whistle and ran his hand through his hair again. 

“You don't know.” It wasn't a question, but a statement. “They didn't tell you? No, why would they, it's not important to them.”

Mabel folded her arms across her chest and waited. Bill seemed to war with himself over whether to tell her, his good eye finally flickering over her. He sighed when he saw her arms crossed, crossing his own to match her. 

“It's not important. They would have told you if it was, wouldn't they?” Bill reasoned when Mabel opened her mouth to argue. “It's really of no importance. They don't like what I do and they have made it clear we are not going to do business again.”

“People in town say that my uncles are the only ones that came out on top of a business deal with you.” Mabel wanted to say she was taunting him. She wouldn't be if he just told her what it was about. “Is that true?”

Bill’s lips curled up in a snarl, his eye narrowed. Mabel instinctively pulled back, standing and moving to leave. She meant it, when she said it was a terrible thing for a wife to fear her husband, and if Bill was trying to frighten her, he did a wonderful job of it. There was something feral in his eyes, a spark of something darker that allowed her to believe he was just as heartless as rumors made him out to be. 

“Mabel.” Bill said, just as she passed through the doorway to leave. “Tad will be here tomorrow. Make sure everything's ready.”

Mabel shut the door.

* * *

“Master Strange has always been a bit...strange.” Jonah said, sending her a displeased look when she snickered. “He'll be here within the hour and you're laughing?”

“You're the one making jokes with his name.” Mabel scooped the pig into her lap. She still had not thought of a name for the piglet, but Bill thought calling her pig ‘bacon’ was quite amusing. 

“It absolutely astounds me how you and Bill are so alike.” Jonah prattled on, making tea. It was one of the first things Mabel had learned from Jonah, how Bill liked his tea. “Where is he, he's going to leave his guest waiting.”

“Keep him waiting, he only comes to visit when he wants something.” Bill spoke from the doorway, making Mabel jump. Bill shot her a smirk, sitting down gracefully next to her. 

“If you had your way, you'd shut yourself in your study.” Mabel snickered again at Jonah's words, Bill giving her a distasteful look. “Please, before the Mistress came along you hardly remembered to come down for meals.”

Mabel outright laughed, because it sounded so like Bill. He spent so much time in his study that Mabel would have to drag him out of it to eat, and even then he would sometimes bring his work with him. Some nights she would go and visit him in his study, just to see what he was working on. It seemed rather boring. 

“Must you?” Bill groaned at her laughter, which only made Mabel laugh harder. “Throwing me to the wolves just because Tad is coming to visit.”

“Well, of course.” Jonah set down the tea, turning towards the door just as their guest knocked. Mabel’s laughter immediately died, her fingers going to brush out her skirts. 

“That will be him. Go answer it.” Bill stood with a sigh. “He’s too annoying for this, I have no idea what he could want.”

Mabel bit her lip anxiously. As much as Bill complained, it appeared that he knew Tad, and Mabel wanted to get along with him. Bill didn’t seem like the kind of man who had many friends, and if Tad was one, Mabel wanted to make a good impression. 

“Welcome.” Jonah greeted, leading Tad into the room. He wasn’t all like she expected, having seen his servant in such bright clothing. Tad looked almost dull in comparison, his drab clothing almost a perfect match for Bill’s own. He had a perfect bowler haircut, and an umbrella tucked underneath his arm. 

“Tad, it hasn’t been long enough.” Bill greeted his friend with a soft smile, one that Mabel had only seen a few times before. 

“If I didn’t know better I’d say it’s been a century! Your new secret wife give you that after marrying you?” Tad gestured to Bill’s face. Bill laughed, but it sounded cold, fake. Mabel waited patiently to be introduced.

“You could have just asked to be introduced. Tad, this is my wife, Mabel Cipher.” Bill gestured to her. Mabel rose and shook Tad’s hand, only to have the man keep a hold of her palm and press a kiss against the back of her hand.

“Are you telling me she didn’t give you that? Because anyone brave enough to marry you would be brave enough to gut you.” Tad laughed and took a seat, umbrella in his lap. Mabel poured tea for him, laughing as well.

“I didn’t hurt him.” Mabel found the thought of physically harming her husband almost amusing. If she had wanted to hurt Bill, she would have done so a long time ago.

“Well then, he must be getting into trouble in town again.” Tad took his tea with a soft thank you to Mabel. “What, threaten someone again?”

Mabel looked over at Bill, arching a brow. “That’s a great question, actually. I know that shopkeeper, what in the world did you to do have him slash your face?”

Bill looked at her, completely unamused, lips pursing. Tad seemed greatly amused, sipping his tea to prevent his laughter from spilling forth. Mabel sat down graciously, waiting for Bill’s response.

“I simply reminded him of everything I had done for him and that he owed me payment.” Bill explained slowly, every word picked out carefully. “He took it too far.”

“I hear quite often that you’re the one taking things too far.” Tad replied, still smiling. Mabel didn’t say anything for, letting them speak to each other.

“Did you want something today, Strange?” Bill snapped. The cheerful atmosphere had quickly deteriorated, and Mabel felt herself sit up a bit straighter.

“I can’t visit an old friend?” Strange gestured his hands around vaguely. “I wanted to come and meet your bride, and maybe talk a little business.”

Bill sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose but wincing at the pain that shot through his brow. Mabel leaned over, pulling his hand from his face to check on the wound. Bill pushed her hand away, giving her a tense smile.

“Mabel, give us a moment, will you?” Bill asked. “I’ll send Jonah to come and get you when we’re all done talking.”

Mabel frowned, her lips pursing together in an awkward line that didn’t suit her face. Bill didn’t back down, and Mabel finally nodded and stood. Tad nodded his head at her, and watched her leave. As soon as she shut the parlor door, their whispered words were heard, but she could only make out random words, until she pressed herself against the door.

“...that’s a ridiculous amount to ask.” Tad’s voice drifted through the thick wood of the door. “Does your wife know of your business?”

“Are you blackmailing me? What she knows isn’t any of your concern.” Bill replied back. “Accept the deal or don’t.”

“Fine, fine, you drive a hard bargain Cipher. Better tell your wife what you’re up to, before someone else does.” There was a rustling of noises, as Mabel assumed Tad stood.

“She doesn’t need to know.”

Mabel pulled back, her fingers gently grazing across the wood. What in the world did Bill do for work? He was a mystery, and she felt a burning curiosity well inside her. There was a sudden presence behind her, and Mabel yelped as she ran into Jonah.

“Eavesdropping?” Jonah teased, steadying Mabel. She laughed awkwardly, trying to brush off the unease.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell.” Jonah joked. “Just don’t get caught.”

Jonah walked away, brushing out imaginary dirt from his uniform. Before her, the door to the parlor started to open, but Mabel turned away before she saw who was there. Curiosity burned at her, but she ignored it. For the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to stay updated on this story? Ask questions about this AU? Click [here](http://oilux.tumblr.com/) to stay tuned and get live updates!


	16. Family Visits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who follow me on tumblr, you'll understand why this chapter took so long to post. There are not going to be updates for a while.

“I’m going to visit my brother today.” Mabel said softly, placing Bill’s tea at his desk. He looked up from mountains of paperwork, brows furrowing in concern. His scar had healed over, no longer needing her attention, and Mabel found she missed the time spent together. 

Bill cleared his throat, breaking out of her trance as she realized she was staring at him. Mabel placed the teapot on his desk, so he couldn’t complain later about not having it near him, and took a long step away.

“Do you want me to escort you into town? I promise no business this time.” Bill pushed his paperwork to the side. “I do need to get along with the in laws at some point.”

“I’m not sure.” Mabel said softly, pausing as his expression fell. “It’s just...I don’t want an argument to happen and I need to talk to my brother. Promise me you won’t argue with him?”

Bill hesitated a long moment before he nodded, and Mabel felt her shoulder’s slump. She could insist, that he stay home while she went out, but if he was willing to get along. 

“Maybe you could do some things around town? I don’t want to push you away, it’s just my brother can be sensitive, and I don’t want him hurting you.” Mabel said. “How about while I talk to him, you go and buy those things we were trying to buy from the shop?”

Bill hesitated before he finally nodded. He stood, escorting her out of their home and into the carriage. Mentally, Mabel prepared herself. Dipper probably didn't know anything about what she was going to ask, but her uncles would be home, and they would most certainly know. 

When they arrived at her old home, Bill kissed the back of her hand and promised to be back in just an hour, so she wouldn't be left alone. It wouldn't be good for his image to have his wife running around town unescorted, even if Mabel was more than capable of walking around town on her own, and had done so before. 

“Mabel!” Dipper threw his arms around his sister, engulfing her in a crushing hug. Mabel breathed in the scent of trees and paper, and had to fight back sudden tears. She missed her brother dearly. 

“Dipper, I missed you.” Mabel pulled back, looking him over. “You look well.”

“So do you. I guess Cipher is being a good husband?” Dipper asked, an unvoiced question on his lips. Mabel heard it easily.  _ He's not hurting you, is he? _

“He's a great husband.” Mabel said easily. “But that's not what I want to talk about. Bill said he'd be back in an hour and I need to ask you something.”

Dipper’s brows furrowed, as they often did when he was worried or lost in thought. She sat down gracefully on the couch, wishing Jonah was there to offer her a cup of tea, as he always did when she was nervous. 

“What's wrong?” Dipper sat down cautiously next to her, like a startled cat ready to bolt. Mabel reached out and placed her hand over her brother’s own. He relaxed slightly at her touch. 

“I'm curious about something, do you know anything about the business our uncles did with Bill?” Mabel asked. “I'd think you'd know, since you'll be taking their spots, letting them retire.”

Dipper’s face fell slightly at her words. “I never bothered to ask. I didn't think I needed to, it's all done and over with.”

“Everyone keeps saying that, and I'm starting to think you all don't want me to know.” Mabel sighed. “Are you going to tell me, Dipper?”

Dipper’s face pinched, and Mabel had her answer. She stood, heading down into the basement of their home. A long time ago, when she was a child, Stanford had made his office there, and when the brothers didn't want to be disturbed, they could be found down there. 

Stanford was nowhere to be seen, but Stanley was there, signing his name in a flourish of choppy handwriting. His penmanship wasn't as nice as Stanford’s was, often bulky letters that stood out on the page. 

“Gruntled Stan?” Mabel placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you busy?”

“Mabel! When did you get here?” He placed his work to the side immediately. Mabel laughed as he embraced her in a hug. “Should have told me you were stopping by.”

“There wasn't any time, and I wanted to speak to you about something.” Mabel took a seat next to him. “I know you did business with Bill, please, tell me what it was.”

“Mabel-”

“I know, it's old business, but he's my husband and I have a right to know.” Mabel said firmly. Stanley sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please, Grunkle Stan.”

The old man sighed. “It's really not that important. It worked out in the end, didn't it? Are you sure you want to know?”

Mabel gave a firm nod. There was a secret here and she wanted to be a part of it. Mabel braced herself for the worst. 

“Cipher, he has this way about him. He just knows exactly what you want. I got no idea how he knows. Anyways, we were going to lose the lumber yard, it wasn't going well and we couldn't make ends meet. You remember that time when we hardly had anything to eat?” Mabel nodded slightly, a quick movement of her head. “Well he showed up while we were working. Young kid, but already so much money. He said we'd get him out of debt, as long as we did something for him in return.”

Mabel felt her breath catch in her chest. She remembered, when she was younger, Stanley coming home with food and they ate until they couldn't move. After that, having what they needed wasn't a problem anymore. 

“What did he want?” Mabel asked softly. 

“I'll get to that.” Stanley brushed her question off. “He gave us enough money, a lot mind you, to pay off our debt. If it wasn't for him, that business would have gone under within the week. We would have been on the streets.” Stanley ran his hand down his face. “We took what we could, and Ford found a little loophole in the agreement. Bill meant for it to be in his favor, but there was hardly a thing he could do to stop us. Almost made him bankrupt, he ended up giving us so much money.”

“Grunkle Stan, are you going to tell me or not?” Mabel asked. History lessons were nice, but this was getting tiring. 

“The original deal was that we would pay off the money as quickly as possible, and that we would allow him to take one thing from our family. He said it wouldn't be anything major. Then as soon as we agree he tells us he wanted to court you, intended for marriage.” Stanley threw his hands in the air. “You weren't thinking of that, we didn't want to make you, you were only sixteeen! Ford found a clause that said if we didn't abide by the agreement within a month it would be void.”

“You took his money and ran.” Mabel felt like the room was spinning. 

“Then you came up and told us you  _ wanted  _ all of this. We couldn't stop you.” Stanley paused, letting out a bark of a sarcastic laugh. “Guess he really does get what he wants in the end.”

Mabel took a deep breath, letting it out at the count of three. A million words weighed down her tongue, trying their best to spring forth first and be the winner. Mabel suppressed them all, trying not to let her passion overcome her. 

“You will pay back every bit of money that he loaned you, and I will not hear a word about it.” Mabel held up a hand when he opened his mouth to argue. “Not one word. Do you understand me?”

Stanley nodded, and Mabel turned to leave. “All he ever wanted was me. Oh my lord, this probably all started as some kind of revenge. Why did nobody think it was important to tell  _ me  _ this?”

It was her life they were playing with, chess pieces in a game that left her as a pawn and Bill as the king. Stanley pinched the bridge of his nose again, rising to stop her leaving. 

“We didn't want to worry you, we got rid of him so it wasn't an issue.” Stanley explained. “I'll pay him back.”

“You're damn right you will.” Mabel snapped. “I have to go.”

“Sweetheart-”

She was already climbing the steps, her heels on the ground drowning out whatever Stan was saying. She rushed past her brother, and out of her childhood home like the devil himself was on her heels. Dipper didn't try to stop his sister, letting his head fall into his hands. 

The carriage wasn't there, meaning Bill had to still be in town. With purpose radiating through her, Mabel walked into town, her shoulders thrown back as she received stares. A lone woman without her escort or even her friends? It would be the topic of gossip by the end of the evening, most people wondering who let Mabel run around town so frivolously. 

She found the carriage outside the general store, and inside a different shopkeeper. Bill stood at the counter, staring down at the different assortment of yarn with absolute confusion on his face. Mabel walked up slowly, her husband not noticing her yet. 

“These were the ones she had waiting, correct?” Bill sighed as he pulled out his wallet. The shopkeeper nodded, his fingers nervously beating against the counter. 

“Yes sir, Mister Cipher.”

Mabel walked forward, placing her arm on Bill’s shoulder and forcing him to turn. He looked enraged for a moment before he saw it was her, and anger melted off his face like it was never there. 

“Are you okay? You look as though you've seen a ghost.” Bill asked. 

Mabel moved her hand, over the lapels of his jacket to his bow tie, yanking him down into a rough but sweet kiss. She had kissed him before, a quick peck on his cheek or on his head, and he had pressed kisses against the back of her hand, but they had never truly kissed before. Bill was stiff for a moment before his arms wrapped around her, pressing her closer than what was proper. 

When they broke apart, his cheeks were stained a luscious red that Mabel wanted to bottle, to never forget this moment. He wasn't upset, just confused, and Mabel’s attention finally turned from him to the shopkeeper, who coughed awkwardly to get their attention. Bill’s arm tightened around her waist. 

“Will this be all for you?”

Bill nodded, taking a couple bills out and throwing them on the counter. Not once did he take his eyes off Mabel, making her own cheeks flush with color. Thankfully, the shopkeeper didn't say anything else to them as he packed their items and handed them over. 

Bill took her hand and led her to the carriage, waiting until the door was shut before he turned to Mabel. The look on her face must have silenced him, because he didn't say anything, only staring. 

“I'm going to ask this once, and you will give me an answer.” Mabel ended up breaking their silence first. “What business deal did you make with your family?”

Bill’s shoulders slumped. “You already know.” It wasn't a question, but Mabel made no move to speak. “They wanted money, and I gave it to them. I figured that if I pursued you in marriage, the dowry I got would basically be a refund. My advisors were already telling me to start looking for a wife, I didn't see the harm in it. Your family can be pretty smart at times, almost bankrupted me.”

“Was this all revenge? They didn't give you a chance so you took it?” Mabel scoffed. Bill just stared at her, his one blue eye unblinking. 

“At the start, yes. You're full of surprises though, and at some point it stopped being a game and started being real.” Bill tapped his fingers on his knee, a habit Mabel noticed he was starting to pick up. 

They arrived home, and Mabel pressed a parting kiss to his cheek as she went to the parlor, intent on starting a new project with the fine yarn he had bought her. She drifted off to sleep with her pig, who she had started reluctantly calling Bacon at Bill’s insistence, curled up next to her, and her knitting still in her fingers. It was the way Bill found her late at night, wondering why she hadn't come to dinner. Bill pressed a soft kiss to her hair and covered her with a blanket, wishing her good dreams before he went to bed himself. 

Maybe, just maybe, this could work out. 


End file.
